Saving Me
by MavsGirl22
Summary: Another bolt of lightening streaked the sky overhead as she stared in horror at the black smoky liquid that was pooling at his feet and inching its way up his body in long thin cords. Tears pooled in her eyes as she mustered the strength to speak... SxK
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

Prologue

The salty waves lapped at her ankles as she stood in the cool shallow water, looking out over the horizon. The sun was setting low, and the sky, in turn, radiated an array of reds, oranges, pinks, and gold. She closed her eyes and deeply inhaled the salty sea air, comforting her in a way she could not describe. A slight smile crept across her lips as her mind wandered. So many sunsets she had seen on this island. So many times she had been entranced with the horizon as it swallowed the blazing sphere, painting the beach in a soft warm glow. Her smile faded as she realized what made this sunset different. She opened her eyes and sadly acknowledged her solitude…she watched the natural phenomenon alone. Her two best friends were not there to bask in the natural beauty along with her, and she frowned as the memories flooded her thoughts.

It had been six months since their return from defeating the Organization and saving the world of worlds from terrible destruction. It had been a long journey for them all…battling unthinkable horrors and enduring an incredible living nightmare at such young ages. She realized that the darkness that had enveloped their tiny world that night also took with it their childhood…their innocence. It was something that she had long accepted as she suffered countless sleepless nights, awaiting their return. However, the two young heroes had not come to terms with the realization as readily, and they each fought the inevitable change that had occurred during the two years they were away from home. The older of the two had left the island in an attempt to 'find himself,' leaving behind a promise to return once he was 'redeemed'. She wondered silently what exactly it was he expected to find. Of the three, he had definitely seen the most destruction…most of it caused by his own hands. Her protests and attempts at 'forgiveness' were useless, and he had left the islands, yet again, shortly after their return.

And then, there was _him_. The true wielder of a weapon born of a pure heart: the keyblade. He had sacrificed his heart to return hers, and in the act, connected them in an unbreakable bound. Twice they were separated, and twice he had returned to her. But now, although he was physically present, his heart was wrenched with guilt and despair at the thousands slain on the blade on his infamous weapon. Such an awesome burden to bear at such a young age… It was only after returning to their simple island way of life that he had realized the ramifications of his two years of fighting the darkness. He had been stained by it, and no matter how hard he fought it, it was now a part of him. He continually denied its existence in an attempt to keep her from worrying about him. But, she knew that it scarred him, to say the least, and he kept himself bottled away, an emotionless figure of stern countenance and forced isolation.

Her hand drifted to her heart as a single tear escaped her brilliant blue eyes. She could literally feel his grief and it physically caused her pain. She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. "Sora, I will save you from this…I promise. I know you will come back to me."


	2. New Proclamations

New Proclamations

She watched him intently as he laid over the wooden dock, staring into the murky depths. His mind seemed a million miles away as he skimmed the top of the water with his fingertips, his wild chocolate locks blowing in the breeze. His radiant azure eyes fixated in a sad piercing stare, focusing on an unseen target. Eyes that were usually filled with laughter and love were now wretched in pain and turmoil. She gasped lightly as she felt the familiar ache in her chest and she reached out to him tentatively, desperate to save him from his thoughts.

"Sora?" her hand came to rest lightly on his shoulder and he continued his trance-like state. "Sora…are you okay?" she knew the honest answer to such a question, but she asked it regardless, in a despondent attempt to reach out to him. Her words interrupted his trance as he blinked back unshed tears and turned to face her.

"Huh? Oh…sorry Kairi. Yeah, of course I'm okay!" he smiled at her and the graying cloud in his eyes faded, replaced by their usual warmth. She smiled back as the pain in her chest subsided. "Why do you ask?" He sat up and heaved his legs around the side of dock to dangle his bare feet in the cool water.

She ignored his question with one of her own. "Sora, you know if there is anything bothering you…anything at all…you can talk to me about it." Sincerity in her voice, she looked at him sympathetically. "I want to help, but if you don't—"

"Kairi, I said I'm fine." he replied softly before she could finish. "You worry too much!" he laughed as he stood up, still looking at her somber features. He smiled at her again and suddenly pulled his shirt over his head and threw it down beside her. She looked at him quizzically, but before she could question his actions, he was running past her and diving head first off the end of the dock.

"Sora!" she snapped out of her thoughtfulness as cool water splashed her face and she wiped the water from her eyes and crawled to the side of the dock, looking for her friend. She peered into the water, searching for a head to bob up among the aqua sea. She soon began to panic as she kneeled on all fours over the edge and saw no sign of recovery among the choppy waves. Her shrieks were lost as wet hands reached up from the water and pulled her down into the sea. She opened her eyes to meet Sora's wide azure gaze and she pushed off his chest as she paddled to the surface.

She gasped for breath as he broke the surface next to her, holding his sides underwater as he laughed at her expense. "You should have seen the look on your face!"

"Sora! You…I…uh!" she stammered, glaring at him. But, his laughter was contagious and she saw the humor in the situation as well. She was soon holding back giggles of her own. "I'm going to make you regret that decision!" she promised as she started towards him.

The salty water burned his nose as he inadvertedly inhaled as Kairi came crashing down on his shoulders, forcing his head under the surface of the water. Sora grabbed her by the waist and shot to the surface. He temporarily misjudged his own strength as he heaved her across the waves, causing her to land several feet away, coughing and sputtering. She, too, did not apparently recognize his abilities as she stared at him in disbelief and he swam to her in concern, "Oh my gosh, Kairi, are you okay? I-I didn't mean to. I just thought—"

She laughed as he approached, "Sora, I'm fine. A little shocked, but fine… I can't believe you're that strong!" she smiled at him warmly. "I guess two years of fighting for your life does a body good" she joked.

His smile faded and his eyes fell, and she immediately regretted her choice of words.

"Come on, I think I've had enough swimming for today." He said over his shoulder as he swam for the shoreline as she followed.

He reached the beach first and sat down in the wet sand as he watched her swim towards him over the waves. Her movements were graceful, as her arms came up in a high arc over her head, piercing the water in front of her. Her body sliced through the waves effortlessly in skill and coordination. She had always been one of the fastest swimmers on Destiny Islands, and he continuously challenged her to races during their youth. It was only since his return to the islands that he found he could finally outswim her.

She waded through the water towards him. Her wet clothes clung to her petit frame, hugging certain curves on her body that would normally make him blush. Her khaki shorts sagged around her hips and her white tank top was now thin and revealed a light blue bra hiding behind the translucent shroud. Her hair fell in crimson waves around her, sticking to her face and dripping down her back. He felt a familiar burning in the pit of his stomach and he struggled to hide the growing bulge under his wet shorts as she collapsed onto the sand beside him.

"I've missed this so much" she sighed as she leaned back on her hands. "Haven't you?" she peered up at him to meet his piercing gaze.

"You have no idea how much I've missed this." He growled under his breath as he looked down at her.

"What?" she looked at him quizzically. "Sora? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Huh?...oh yeah." He inhaled deeply and ran his hands over his blushing face and through his hair as an attempt to control the thoughts he was having of Kairi. "I was just saying that I missed it to." He said, trying his best to smile legitimately.

She smiled back and rested her head on his shoulder as they gazed out over the endless horizon. He gulped and slowed his breathing to calm his racing heart. "Sora?"

"Hm?"

"Do you remember when we were kids and we used to watch the sunsets together every night? Just you, me, and Riku."

He smiled genuinely at the thought, the graying clouds in his eyes diminishing. "Of course I remember," he leaned his head against hers as he reminisced. "We used to fantasize about what it would be like to visit other worlds. We dreamed about leaving the island on our little raft and exploring new places together."

"Yeah." She smiled at the irony, "And we did just that, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so…"

"But do you remember the night before the darkness invasion, the sunset that you and I watched…we sat on that same dock…and I told you to not ever change."

"How could I forget that? You tried to get me to runaway with you on our raft and leave Riku here! Remember?" he laughed and poked her in the ribs teasingly.

She giggled in response, but soon regained her composure and became serous again. "But Sora, you did change…We all did. And it's not a bad thing." She pulled her head off his shoulder so she could look at him in the face, "Sora, over the past two years you've evolved into someone that I never dreamed possible. You've had to see things and do things that most people only read about in fairy tales."

The gray cloud was fogging his eyes again as he broke her gaze and looked back out over the horizon. "Kairi, I don't want to talk about it." His voice was jagged and broken.

"But Sora you must talk about it! If you don't, it will just continue to eat at you, until..."

Kairi pleaded with him.

"Look," he turned back towards her and his brow creased in pain that his eyes revealed, "You have no idea what I've seen. You don't know what it's like…the things that I've had to do…"

"But Sora, you had to. You wielded—"

"Wielded what?" he waved his hand in a diagonal line in front of them and summoned the Oathkeeper. "The keyblade?" his voice began to raise he glared through the fog covering his eyes. "This thing is a curse, not a savior. All it did was bring pain and destruction to all the people that I love around me!"

"But Sora—"

He stood up beside her, towering over her. He clutched the Oathkeeper as his hands trembled at his sides. "I had to fight my best friend Kairi! I had to fight Riku to keep him from _killing_ me!" his voice was raising even more, and he didn't realize that Kairi was shrinking away from him. "I was in a coma for a year. A year! One year of my life is completely void, like some forgotten memory."

"Sora, I…" tears were welling up in Kairi's eyes, and some escaped her lids and fell in long streams down her cheeks. She was trembling all over, and she realized that she was actually frightened of Sora.

"Twenty four hours a day I was hunted by unimaginable terrors. They continuously stalked me, trying to get a piece of me, trying to _kill_ me." The fog in his eyes loomed darker and darker as he glared at her. "Do you have any idea what it's like to have to fight something like that all the time?!!"

"Sora, please…I just want to help you!" Her pleas were ignored.

"They tried to take my heart…your heart." His voice became softer and tears began to pool in his cloudy eyes. "Kairi, I had to loose you. Twice I lost you. And I never felt such a void in my life like I did as I watched you fade away from me. And I swore I would do whatever it took to get you back." Tears freely streamed down his cheeks as his eyes began to clear through the haze, "And I did, Kairi. I fought for you, I killed for you, I gave up my heart for you…" he collapsed on his knees in the sand in front of her. The keyblade at his side disappeared in a flash of light and she instantly threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into her. His tears stained her shirt as he wept in her arms. "And I would do it again Kairi…" he murmured into her chest. "I would do it all again if it meant saving you."

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Meanwhile...somewhere in a world far away from Destiny Island's shores….

Darkness. Complete absence of light. Darkness had been a part of him, and he a part of it. He had let darkness invade his heart in a desperate attempt to save hers. He had sacrificed his physical identity in order to move about the realm of darkness freely, so that he might help Sora complete his mission successfully. He had seen darkness, had lived in it, and he knew what it was capable of. It slowly feeds off the light in your heart until it completely possesses your entire being. Now he was searching for something. He wasn't sure what he would find, but he knew that he had to look for it. Light. He was convinced that it was his only hope of redeeming himself and forever banishing his darkness.


	3. Darkness

Darkness

Sora lay awake, staring at the black ceiling and listening to the pitter patter of rain drops on the window over his bed. He mulled over his thoughts, replaying the past two years in his mind's eye: the darkness enveloping his home; his battle to find Kairi and Riku; defeating Xeanort's heartless; waking up after a year long coma; continuing his search for Riku; discovering the existence of nobodies and the return of the heartless; Organization XIII kidnapping Kairi; destruction of the Organization; and ultimately defeating Xemnas, the Nobody of Xeanort. The screenplay of his adventures had been all he could focus on since returning to Destiny Islands six months ago. Kairi was his only escape from them; however, she frequently worried about his sufferings, and he found it very difficult to divulge the darker parts of his adventure with her.

Although the past few hours were a blur, it was true what he had told her on the beach earlier. He really _had_ done it all for her, and given the chance he would do it again. The thought of her smile was the only thing that kept him going on so many cold and lonely nights in the strange exotic worlds along his journey…

-----------_FLASHBACK---------_

_The streets of Hollow Bastion were unusually quiet as he sat on the roof top, looking out over the city. Unable to sleep, as usual, he had decided get some fresh air. The full moon was beautiful as it hung in the violet sky, illuminating the city in a pale glow. It was his first time back to Hallow Bastion since learning of Kairi's kidnapping; they had stopped in to restock on some supplies and return some of the lost pages of Pooh's Storybook. He was physically exhausted, and the sleepless nights and endless fighting was taking its toll on him. He sighed as he thought about her. Where was she? Was she safe? Would he see her again? He ached to see her, to touch her, to feel her soft warmth against his skin, to hear her laugh, her voice. If only he could see her smile… Her smile. Just thinking about it caused his lips to tug into a slight grin. He smiled as he clutched the thalassa shell charm in his pocket, as he headed back to camp._

_----------END FLASHBACK----------_

Yet, here he was, engrossed in something he couldn't explain. Riku was the one he had found solace in when it came to the dark matters of the heart. After all, who would know better about such shadowed secrets? But then Riku left them to go 'find himself', whatever the hell that meant. _"Dammit Riku! I search for you and Kairi for two years, and after we finally reunite, you have to leave. How could you be so damn selfish!" _Without Riku around, Sora had kept his emotions regarding darkness bottled up inside of him since their return. He knew it wasn't smart, for he could feel the darkness growing in his heart. He recently found himself unable to control his actions when he was faced with dark memories or emotions, as if he were outside his body watching himself react. Emotions he tried his hardest to keep hidden from Kairi, ashamed that she might be mortified at their existence: guilt, shame, anger, envy…lust.

He sighed heavily as he sat up in bed, breathing in the darkness of the room. It was almost comforting. In the dimly lit room no one could see how his heart was wrenched in pain, no one could see the tears that his eyes were constantly threatening to shed, and no one could see what had become of the infamous Keyblade Master. Quietly, and without his brain telling him to do so, Sora slipped out of bed, unsure of what his actions would result in.

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_The cold air burned her throat and lungs as she raced down the beach. Her feet sank in the loose sand underneath her, threatening to drag her under; but they wouldn't keep her from her objective: Sora. He stood motionless at the shoreline in front of her, his back turned toward her as he stared out at the black horizon. "Sora!" her cries were lost in the nothingness surrounding her. He turned to face her and what she saw stole the air from her lungs, forcing a silent yelp from her throat. He was dressed in a long black cloak and a hood covered his head, casting long shadows over his face. The only feature she could make out were the glowing yellow eyes staring daggers at her. _

"Sora!" she shot up in bed, cold sweat dripping across her skin. A sharp pain pierced her heart, and she clutched her chest in agony. "Sora…" she forced through clenched teeth. She bit her bottom lip, tasting the familiar copper as she inadvertently drew blood. She winced as she forced herself through the motions of climbing out of the bed and throwing on the clothes nearest her. She shoved her feet into a pair of sneakers and lowered herself expertly out her bedroom window, as she had done many times before...

----------_FLASHBACK-------_

_Sora awoke to the sound of fingers impatiently tapping on the window pane over his bed. He rubbed the sleep out of eyes and pulled open the window. "Kairi? Is that you?" _

_"Yeah," the young girl crawled through window as he reflexively scooted over in the bed, making room for her. _

_"Did you have another bad dream about your parents?" he asked as he sleepily lifted the blankets for her._

_"Yeah," she replied softly, tears in her eyes, as she curled up under the blankets._

_"Don't worry Kai. I'm here." He whispered softly as he instinctively pulled her into him, tucking the blankets around her. "I'm always here." He assured her and he wrapped her in his arms as she wet his pillow with her tears._

-----------_END FLASHBACK--------_

As she lowered herself to the ground, the cold night air chilled the drying sweat on her skin, causing tiny bumps to form over her entire body. The night was black around her, and dark billowing clouds overhead shrouded any attempt from the moon to light the tropical island. Cold rain drops pelted her face as she broke into a run towards the docks. She passed the street leading to Sora's house, knowing that she would not find him there. Her suspicions were confirmed when she reached her boat and found his gone.

In the ten minute row to their tiny island, the storm had grown. The rain was now coming down in sheets and the wind blew hard, causing white-capped waves to pound the sides of her little boat. She rowed against the waves and wind, determination creased in her brow. The only illumination was provided at increasing intervals as white hot bolts of lightening danced in the black sky above her. Piercing roars of thunder boomed in her ears as she neared the shoreline. She dove from the boat and ran hard against the knee-deep current, towards the beach. Scanning the shore, she looked for any silhouette that might prove to be Sora. Her heart sank as she found the beach empty.

The wind howled in her ears as the storm continued to intensify. Her heart still ached for Sora, making it hard to breath; however, she knew that she must find shelter if she had any hope of surviving the night. She broke in a run towards the "Secret Place".

As she neared the entrance, the ache in her chest deepened. She pulled back the blanket of vines and crawled through the narrow entrance. The warm air of the cavern whipped through her hair, and she closed her eyes as she breathed in the familiar scent of moss and dampness. She and Sora had found this secluded place on accident almost ten years ago…

_-----------FLASHBACK--------_

"_Kairi! Come here! You've got to see this!" Sora ran to his young friend, excitement in his eyes. He grabbed her hand and pulled her across the beach, yelling incomprehensibly. _

"_Sora! Where are we going?!" Kairi tripped in the loose sand as she giggled._

"_Look!" He exclaimed triumphantly as he pulled back a curtain of vines, revealing an entrance to a long winding cave in the side of the rock face. _

_Kairi's eyes opened wide in excitement. "Wow! A cave!" Kairi squealed as she grabbed Sora's hand, "Come on! Let's go inside!" and she easily ducked into the entrance pulling Sora behind her. "It's so warm…" she observed softly as she entered the large room at the end of the tunnel. _

"_Yeah," Sora agreed as he walked along the walls, tracing his fingers across the slippery rocks. "Hey Kai…I think this might be the center of the island…"_

"_Hey, yeah! Maybe that's why it's so warm in here." Kairi concurred. "Sora?"_

"_Hmmm…"_

"_Let's keep this place a secret. Let's make it our 'Secret Place'!" Kairi exclaimed._

"_Okay Kairi!" Sora laughed. The two children picked up a few loose rocks and carved each other's faces into one of the rock walls, forever making the cave their own._

_-----------END FLASHBACK--------_

They had shared so many memories in that cave, carving out other scenes and paintings into the stony walls along the years. Yet, tonight the cavern's atmosphere was thick with a sense of something Kairi had not encountered since being lost without her heart: sinister darkness. She made her way along the cavern walls, slowly entering the room where she had spent countless hours praying for her friends' safe return.

The room was black, and as the lightening continued streaking the sky outside, it lit the cave in an eerie starkness via the small hole in the ceiling. She gasped when the first streak illuminated the room, revealing Sora's outline standing in front of the plain wooden door at the far end of the room…the door that had started their adventure over two years ago. He had one palm on the door, and he leaned against it, his head bowed low as if he were in deep thought.

She opened her mouth to speak his name, but found that the words would not come. Her breath was cut short, and the air felt thin as it entered her lungs. She took a few steps towards him, but he did not move. His breath was deep and even as he stood motionless, still leaning against the door. She reached out a tentative hand as she struggled to fill her lungs with the thinning air. She forced a few more steps, and was finally standing right beside him. She again attempted to speak his name, but the effort took more energy than she anticipated and she collapsed against the cave wall in front him, gasping for breath. Another bolt of lightening streaked the sky overhead, as she stared in horror at the black smoky liquid that was pooling at Sora's feet and inching its way up his body in long thin cords. Tears pooled in her eyes and stained her cheeks as she leaned against the cave wall, mustering the strength to speak. "S-S-Sora!" Her voice was meek and emaciated, but it managed to reach his ears and he raised his head to face her in response.

Another streak of illumination…his eyes were closed and he looked almost peaceful as he spoke in a voice not his own, "You shouldn't be here." His voice was loud and deep and it echoed off the rocky walls around her. She could do nothing but lean against the wall for support and stare at him, tears streaming down her face. The cave was dark around them and she could feel the pressure of the darkness surrounding her. The intense pain in her chest was almost unbearable as she stared in disbelieve.

Suddenly, Sora opened his eyes, exposing a piercing glowing yellow glare. Another lightening bolt revealed that he was completely shrouded in blackness and it trailed off his body in long smoky tendrils. He took a step towards her, his angry yellow stare sending chills over her wet skin. She cowered against the wall and shut her eyes tightly; the stabbing pain in her heart was too much to bear when she looked at him. Despite the warm air pooling around her, the stench of his hot breath on her face sent waves of shivers coursing through her body. Whatever this thing was, she was sure it was not Sora.

A sharp agonizing scream roared through the cave and Kairi shot open her eyes to see Sora collapsed on his knees in front of her, leaning back over his feet and clutching his chest. She instantly knelt down beside him, but she could not muster the breath needed to speak. As she grabbed his shoulders, his eyes shot open again, but this time they were their normal ocean blue color. "Kairi… run…" he moaned through clenched teeth. Another blood-curdling scream escaped his lips as he dug his fingers into his chest, ripping through the black smoky shell of darkness. She watched in horror as he struggled to pull the darkness from his body.

Slowly she felt her breath returning to her, and she strained to form her words. "S-Sora!" She heaved air in and out of her burning lungs, as a new-found strength generated new resolve. "Sora! I'm here! I won't leave you!"

He continued fighting the darkness that was invading his heart and body, screaming in pain and determination. He could barely make out Kairi's voice among the turbulence surrounding him. However, her encouraging words faintly met his ears; and with them, he found strength and new hope. He would not let what had become of him hurt her! Not here! Not now! In one final burst of adrenaline, he roared in determination and pulled the shroud of darkness from his bare chest. Instantly, his eyes flashed blue before rolling back in his head and the black fog melted from his limbs. He collapsed to the cave floor in a heap of sweat and tears and his body shook uncontrollably as the sinister air around him dissipated. The last stimuli he registered as he slipped into unconsciousness were the long slender arms cradling his head and Kairi's soothing voice, as her warm tears wet his face. "I won't leave you, I won't leave you, I won't le…"


	4. The Start of Something New

**A/N: **This chap is a little dull, sorry. I hope you guys liked the flashbacks in the previous chap. I'm trying to show how strong of a relationship Sora and Kairi have built over the years. You can imagine them between the ages of 8 and 12 during the flashbacks…

The Start of Something New

Meanwhile…in a world far away from Destiny Islands…

_Something_ was stirring. _Something_ that he had felt before. He had spent enough time in the darkness to protect the world of light to know what _it_ felt like… It made him nauseous and an eerie chill raced down his spine. "Sora is in trouble" he stated out loud to no one, as he was alone in the throne room. He pounded his fist on the desk in frustration as he picked up the receiver beside him. "Chip, Dale… I need you two to ready my Gummi Ship pronto."

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_Darkness. It fell in long black streaks around him as he fell, spiraling into the seemingly bottomless abyss. He opened his mouth to scream, but the air around him was thin and his voice trapped itself in his throat. His lungs burned in desperation, and he forced small gulps of air past the lump in his throat as he continued to fall…_

"_It is not over…"_

_A dark booming voice invaded his eardrums and reverberated off his skull. _

"_Dark memories lie in your heart…"_

_It seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once._

"_You can not deny your destiny…"_

_Below him…a pillar of land appeared, the top looked similar to a stained glass window. He felt a strange connection and a sense of déjà vu, but he couldn't make out the figure crouched in the center. Too dark…_

"_But…"_

_Spiraling closer and closer to the surface, Sora whipped his hands out in front of him and tried to summon the Oathkeeper. Nothing._

"_It is not time, yet…"_

_The figure…crouched in the center of the pillar that was now only a few yards away…he realized that the figure was him. Only half of his body was completely black and sinister with a glowing yellow eye…the other half, still in the light and not yet consumed._

"_Soon…"_

_He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, preparing for the impact that would most likely kill him. _

"Nooo!" his gasped as his eyes flew open. He inhaled sharply against the shooting pain in his chest as he sat straight up. He breathed in the salty sea air and bewildered, he looked around him taking in his surroundings.

The musty cave walls surrounding him eased his hysteria as he realized his location…the "Secret Place" The bright light coming through the hole in the ceiling suggested it to be mid morning. He closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose as he tried to remember how he got there. _The storm…darkness…Kairi… _"Kairi!" his eyes shot open once again as he frantically searched for her form in the dimly lit cavern. _"I will never forgive myself if anything happened to her!"_ Suddenly, he heard something mumble beside him and he breathed a sigh of relief as he looked down on Kairi's sleeping figure nestled against him.

His face softened into a smile as he quietly watched her sleep. Her hair laid out across the dirt floor in long tangles, her wrinkled clothes were still damp, and her cheek was smeared with dirt…she was beautiful. He drew a deep breath and closed his eyes as he tried to replay the events of the previous night, and his dream. _What does this mean? What….what's happening to me??? Am I putting Kairi in danger by staying here?? Kairi… _He felt the heavy blow of guilt in the pit of his stomach as he remembered what she had seen last night. He had tried to warn her, tried to tell her to get out; but here she is... beside him. He didn't really know when his childhood crush had turned into the love of his life, but he had struggled every day for the past six months to tell her how he felt about her…

-----------_FLASHBACK----_------

_"Hey Sora," Riku sat down on the long angled trunk of the Paupou tree beside his silent friend._

_"Hey Riku, what's up?" Sora's reverie was interrupted and he sat up on the trunk and looked over at his friend._

_"I should be asking you the same thing."_

_"What do you mean?" Sora questioned._

_"I mean…you daydreaming all day and staring off in space." Riku smirked. "Don't think I don't know what's going on…" _

_"Man, I don't know what you're talking about…"_

_"Dude, I know that you're in love with Kairi." Riku answered blatantly as he looked back out over the horizon. _

_Sora was speechless…was it that obvious?? If Riku knew, did that mean that Kairi also knew?? Why hadn't anyone spoken up before?? And what—_

_"Man, why don't you just tell her how you feel?" _

_Sora sighed in defeat, realizing that there was no way Riku would believe him if he tried to lie to cover up his emotions. Riku just knew him too well…"What if she doesn't feel the same way…what if I tell her and it freaks her out and she never speaks to me again…what if it ruins our friendship…what if—"_

_"Look…" Riku interrupted as he looked back over at Sora. "You two share something special." He said as he pointed to Sora's heart. "And I can almost guarantee you that she feels the same way."_

_"Why?" Sora tried to hide the excitement in his voice, but failed miserably. "Did she tell you something!?" _

_"Nope. Just a feeling I get. I see the way she looks at you." He said over his shoulder as he climbed off the trunk and headed back over the bridge towards the docks. "Trust me on this one…"_

_----------END FLASHBACK---------------_

He smiled at her sleeping form as he gently pulled a lock of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Kairi?" he whispered softly.

"Mmmmm…" Kairi moaned faintly in her sleep. Her long eyelashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes and focused on his smiling face. "Sora!" she smiled back and sat up. "You're awake!"

"Kairi," he spoke softly with an apologetic tone as his eyes fell to the cave floor, "I am so sorry about last night. I hope that you never have to—"

His words were interrupted as she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. He was initially startled by her embrace, but once he regained his thoughts he wrapped his arms around her back and held her close.

She pulled out of his embrace slightly, tears brimming in her eyes. "Sora, I was so worried. I didn't know what was happening, but I knew I couldn't leave. You were so still, I thought maybe…well, I don't…I don't know what I thought…but, but I knew that I had to stay here with you. Are you okay? W-What happened to you? Does this have anything to do with that letter from the King? What are you going t—"

"Kairi," Sora chuckled as she bombarded him with her questions, "I'm okay, I promise."

"Oh, Sora." She buried her face back in the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry, I was just so worried about you. I wanted to go get help, but I couldn't leave you here… I just wouldn't leave you…"

"Kairi," his tone became serious as he continued to hold her closely. He drew a deep breath, preparing himself. He knew that she would not be pleased with what he had to say next. "I think I need to see the King… I don't want to leave you again, but I have to find Riku. I think he can help…"

Kairi suddenly straightened up, confusion written across her brow line. "But Sora, how could Riku help, I mean…" reality began to set in as Kairi realized what it was that had been troubling her best friend for the past six months. "You think the darkness is trying to possess you…don't you?" she asked flatly as she looked into his cerulean eyes.

He averted her gaze again, and his silence spoke volumes.

"Sora…" she reached a hand up to caress his cheek.

"I can't stay here…on the island…I'm putting you in danger…" Sora redirected his gaze on her. His eyes were bright, but Kairi could see that he was distressed as he searched for the right words. She smiled meekly at him in an attempt to comfort him. "It's getting out of…" he drew a deep breath, "It's beyond my control and I know that Riku can help. He knows about this kind of stuff…I have to go find him…alone…"

Kairi's smile faded and she pulled her hand from his face as she stood up in front of him. "Sora," her voice was stern, "there is no way I am letting you go anywhere alone…not after what happened last night. There was a reason I didn't leave you here by yourself! You can't fight this alone." Her brow creased in determination and she stared at him, her hands on her hips. "You…you need me." The last sentence came out more timid than she intended, and she drew a deep breath. "You need me, whether you realize it or not!" She was much more successful in her second attempt and she could see the shock in Sora's expression as he looked up at her.

"Kairi, I don't want to put you in danger…"

Sora's pleas were ignored. "Sora, I'm going with you. We will find Riku together. End of discussion." She offered a hand to help him up. "We need to get ready to go."

Sora sighed in defeat as he grabbed her hand and pushed off the floor beneath him, heaving himself to his feet. Kairi gasped lightly as Sora suddenly pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face in her hair. "Thanks Kairi" he whispered faintly.

She smiled in his embrace and rested her head on his chest.


	5. Guilt

**A/N: **Arg! I should be studying for finals…but…I can't stop writing! If I give Sora a personality disorder will that constitute studying for my pysch test on Saturday?? Lol jk

Ooooo…I have a better idea!

Guilt

Sora dragged his feet along the gritty pavement, hands shoved deep into his pockets, eye fixated on the road in front of him. Images of his dream replayed in his head in a continuous loop, and his temples throbbed in response. He absent-mindedly ran his fingers along the sides of his forehead in little circles as he made the trip from Kairi's house to his own. He hadn't told her about the dream; he still wasn't sure what it meant… "Riku will know what to do. He'll help me sort out this mess." he reassured himself.

The setting sun cast long dim shadows across the streets of Destiny Island. He and Kairi had spent the better part of the day preparing for their early morning departure in a few hours. He thanked the heavens that, although after much protest, the King had decided to leave him and Riku their own gummi ships. _Sorry Your Majesty, looks like I'll have to break our promise of only using it for flight simulations… _He smiled inwardly, _Well, I guess Riku broke his promise, too…so I shouldn't feel __**too **__bad! _It had taken him almost the entire day to get the ship flyable again. Luckily he had seen Cid work on the gummi blocks enough to have an idea of how they worked, although he could have done without Kairi's incessant pestering to "read the instructions".

He sighed heavily as he trudged up the sidewalk to his front door. He paused as he reached for the doorknob and a heavy numbness weighted in his chest. He drew a deep breath, closed his eyes, and gripped the doorknob to enter the small house.

The house was quiet and painfully deserted. He wiped the back of his hand across a lone tear on his lid as he painstakingly climbed the stairs to his room. He slammed his bedroom door behind him and dove into his bed, burying his face in his pillow. He didn't want to think about the fact that after a year of suffering the kidnapping of her only son, his mother started seeking psychiatric counseling for suicidal ideations. Then, Sora faded from the memories of everyone on the tiny island, except hers… Her doctors were convinced she was delusional and when they diagnosed her with psychosis and committed her to a mental institution against her will, the pain and betrayal became too much…

"I'm sorry Mom." Sora said raggedly into his pillow, "I should have been here for you… I should have somehow let you know I was okay… I shouldn't have just left you without any kind of explanation…It's my fault you're gone…" Sora rolled over with a huff and stared out the small window over his bed. He peered through the glass at the tiny stars that littered the night sky, realizing that each one represented a different world. He could feel a strange connection to the stars. He didn't know if it stemmed from his previous explorations of many of them, or his desire to see more… Or maybe it was all the friends he had made among the stars… He smiled uncertainly.

He suddenly felt the full weight of his body on the bed beneath him. What little sleep he had gotten the previous night was plagued with dreams…or visions…whatever you want to call them. He was exhausted from working on the gummi ship all day. He whispered a short prayer to the heavens, closed his eyes, and fell into a fitful sleep…

_The ground beneath him was hard and cold. The familiar rotten smell of death singed his nostrils and gagged the back of his throat. An eerie silence filled the space around him and he felt motionless against the solitary dissonance. The small hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he regained his senses and he could feel the proverbial presence of something dark. Heartless. Sora's eyes flew open as the realization stuck him and he shot himself to his feet. He waved his arm in a flat arc in front of him, and in a bright flash of light, summoned the Oathkeeper. The cold steel of the familiar blade comforted him as he peered through the darkness surrounding him. _

_He lowered himself into a low fighting stance, gripping the hilt of his weapon with both hands, reading himself for imminent battle. The world around him was pitch black, and the atmosphere thick with...something. Or rather…nothing… He squinted against the shroud of darkness, trying to focus on what he could sense was stalking him on the perimeter of his blindness. _

_A short gust of air ruffled his clothes and hair as something dashed behind him. He spun around and thrust his keyblade into the shadows, but it connected with nothing. He stood motionless in the black oblivion, his heart thundering against his ribcage as he tried to steady his breathing. Another gust of wind behind him, and he shot his weapon out as before. Yet, again, his efforts were futile. _

_He growled in frustration. "Why don't you just come out and fight fair! Quit sneaking around!" He gripped the Oathkeeper in a low fighting stance as he breathed out forced exhalations, his brow pierced in determination._

_He gasped deeply as a pair of bright yellow eyes revealed themselves only inches from the end of his nose. He stumbled backwards in shock and lost his footing. As he connected with it, the cold floor beneath him suddenly lit up. His body went numb and his face paled as he recognized the design around him…the figure of him crouching in the center…half dark, half light… _

_His stare shot back up where the pair of yellow eyes had appeared only seconds ago. Nothing. He launched himself back to his feet and scanned his surroundings. Whatever it was it couldn't have gotten far, he could still feel it…lurking in the shadows._

_Then, suddenly, he spotted it. Its piercing yellow glare was fixated on him and it was galloping on all fours towards him. Sora gripped the Oathkeeper tightly, preparing for the attack. As the heartless neared him, Sora's eyes widened in fear and shock. He dropped his shoulders and slightly lowered his weapon as he realized that the heartless was…simply put…him. The only difference was that it was completely black and it left long smoky trails of darkness behind it as it raced towards him._

_At the last second, as the heartless left its feet to strike Sora, he swung the blade of his weapon in an uppercut, hitting the heartless just under the chin and sending it flying into the air. _

_It landed on all fours just a few feet away. Sora braced himself for another attack, but instead, the heartless just crouched on the floor and stared at Sora with narrow sharp eyes. Sora couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was as if the figure crouched in front of him was the exact opposition of everything Sora. The resemblance was unnerving. _

"_What…What are you??!!" Sora shouted angrily. "What are you doing here?!" _

_The heartless was motionless and remained silent. _

"_Answer me!" Sora demanded. "What the hell do you want with me??!!" _

_Again, nothing…_

_Sora let out a cry of frustration and anger as he charged the crouching form, his keyblade held high over his shoulder. Seconds before the blade of his weapon connected with the shadowed twin, it morphed into something else. Or, rather, __**someone **__else…_

_Sora stopped the keyblade only inches from the figure's throat. He stared in disbelief as tears pooled in his sapphire eyes. He felt the edges of his world begin to fade and his knees go weak. He struggled to keep his eyes focused as he tried not to faint. He managed to form a response before slipping into nothingness… "Mom?" _

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**A/N: **Hmmm… Sora has many stressors in his life, yes? You think he has issues now? Just wait…

Although this chap is short, I am very pleased with it… Review please!!


	6. Departure

**A/N: **Okay people…I am going to give it to you straight. I am getting a little fed up with the whole read and not review thing. I have one person who has reviewed my story so far… one! Over 300 hits and only 2 reviews! Normally I wouldn't be upset about this; however, the Mavericks playoff series with the Golden State Warriors has me an emotional bundle of nerves! (And I'm sitting alone in the dark because it's storming outside and my electricity went out…) ARG! So…in the words of my most favorite villain of all time: "Throw me a friggin' bone here!" I promise I will not cry if you flame me!!! REVIEW PLEASE! Okay…here's chapter 5…

Departure

The firm rhythm of her feet hitting the compact sand was music to Kairi's ears. The early morning sunrise flooded the beach in all its splendor as it commenced the dawning of a new day…a new adventure. She tightened her grip on the bags hanging loosely on her shoulder as she ran towards the docks. In all her excitement, she had gotten very little sleep the previous night. She couldn't help but look forward to finally getting to be a part of the action…not just a bystander.

Being kidnapped by Axel and being held captive by the Organization was motivation enough to learn some self defense; and in the past six months Kairi had been spent nearly everyday secretly training. Riku had even spent a few days teaching her some basic maneuvers before he left. However, she kept it hidden from Sora with the knowledge that he would most definitely object to it; but she somehow hoped that her new found skills would prove useful during their voyage.

She smiled as she neared the docks and noticed Sora's figure perched on the edge. "Hey you! I was starting to get worried you might decide to leave without me." she called out.

He responded simply by waving and slowly getting to his feet. She frowned as she approached; his usual carefree stance and goofy grin were replaced by awkward stature and a troubled frown. "Sora? What's wrong? And don't say nothing."

He smiled meekly at her as she crossed the long wooden dock towards him. "I just didn't sleep well last night. That's all…" he averted his eyes and motioned to his boat. "Shall we?"

She eyed him suspiciously, but just as well, climbed in the small boat that was already loaded with several bags. Sora quickly followed and began the short row to their tiny island. In the time it took to reach the shores, Sora's frown had deepened and thick wrinkles creased his brow in concern. He didn't say a thing, which wasn't too abnormal for Sora in the mornings…he's really _not _a morning person… But Kairi could feel that this was a forced silence, as if he were keeping something from her.

"Sora…"

"Hmmm?"

She placed a reassuring hand on his knee as he continued rowing towards the shoreline. "Whatever is happening…to you…whatever it is…I know that we can figure it out." She smiled as she squeezed his knee. "Together…we can do this."

He blushed and smiled faintly at her before securing the boat to the new dock. He stood up clumsily in the boat and offered a hand to help Kairi onto the dock, but as she stood up the small boat shifted under her weight and rocked violently to one side. Kairi yelped and latched onto Sora's waist to steady herself. As she clung to him, Sora erupted in fits of laughter. "Thanks Kai," he gasped between breaths while Kairi managed to regain her balance, "You always know how to cheer me up!"

She smiled back as she salvaged her composure and climbed onto the dock. "Well, I'm so glad that it only took me almost falling out of the boat and drowning to lift your spirits!" she replied in mock sarcasm as he began handing her the bags.

"Sora? What's in all of these anyways?" she asked as he climbed out of the boat and loaded himself with the bags.

"Mostly left over potions and junk from my last trips…" he noted the worried expression briefly pass over her face. "You know, just in case. I'm sure we won't need them…" he smiled as they made their way towards the cove where the gummi ship was hidden.

"Yeah," Kairi replied hesitantly as she clutched her bag closer to her side. "I'm sure we won't either."

As they neared the alcove that held the gummi ship hidden from plain sight, a realization suddenly struck Kairi. "What if the paths between the worlds were broken? How do you know if they are still connected?"

"I don't." Sora answered flatly without turning around. "The King said in his message that he would keep the gateway open between Disney Castle and Destiny Islands. I can only guess that's where Riku went. Hopefully that's only as far as we have to go…" He stopped in front of a tall curtain of vines and grass, and dropped his bags as he started pulling the camouflage from the ship,

Kairi nodded in response, although she had a strange feeling that this adventure would not be that easy.

It didn't take long to get the ship uncovered, load their luggage, and board. In a matter of about 15 minutes they were seated in the cockpit and strapping themselves in to prepare for launch. "Sora?" Kairi squeaked nervously, "I've uh…I've never really flown before." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat "Can you just, you know, take it easy?"

He smiled at her reassuringly as he flipped switches and started the engines. "Don't worry Kai. I'm an expert!" he puffed his chest and smiled his signature goofy grin at her as the boosters underneath them hummed to life.

She clutched the arms of her chair as the ship vibrated roughly around her.

"You ready?"

She squeezed her eyes shut and nodded her head stiffly. The boosters roared to life and the ship lunged forward abruptly. She cringed as her stomach fell to her heels and she felt the ground drop quickly from underneath the ship. He body trembled all over as the momentum dug her outline into the back of her seat. She puffed out her cheeks as her stomach did flip flops and she strongly resisted the urge to loose her breakfast. With her eyes still shut tightly, she tightened her grip on the chair arms and felt her whole body stiffen nervously. She was so preoccupied with trying to hold back the contents of her stomach, in fact, that she did even notice when the G forces eased their pull on her as the ship entered autopilot.

"Kairi?" she uneasily opened her eyes to see a playful cerulean gleam staring back at her. "You okay?"

She breathed a deep sigh of relief as she realized that she had, indeed, survived the take off. "Yeah, yeah… I'm fine."

"Yeah…I'm not convinced." He unbuckled her belt and offered her a hand, "Come on, I think you should go lay down…"

Still feeling queasy, she nodded shyly in agreement, "That sounds nice." She took his hand and followed him to the sleeping quarters underneath the cockpit.

He helped her through the narrow corridor into the room. She smiled thankfully at him as she eased onto the bed.

"Just rest for a while." He said soothingly, "I probably should have warned you about the nausea. Don't worry, you'll get used to it…" he turned to head back up to the cockpit.

"Sora?" she called as she reached out to grab his hand in hers.

"Yeah?" he turned back to face her.

She smiled warmly at him. "I'm really glad I'm here…with you…"

"Me too." He squeezed her hand affectionately and returned her smile before sliding the door shut behind him and returning to the cockpit.

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**A/N: **Man…two chapters in one day…Don't forget to REVIEW! ) By the way, I plan on revealing some of Kairi's "new skills" in the next chapter… so stay tuned!


	7. Dark Intentions

**A/N: **I am much more pleased with the amount of reviews. Kudos to my reviewers! Keep it up! And the story continues…

Dark Intentions

_Sora, Riku, Kairi—_

_Fighting for the side of light alongside the three of you has been a great honor and privilege. I can only hope that you are able to re-affiliate yourselves back into your daily routines. Enjoy your well-deserved rest. A few words of encouragement: Kairi, always follow your heart and it will lead you to where you need to be. Riku, do not despair over past transgressions and always look towards the light in times of need, help will always be there. Sora, trust in your friends' strength and ability and you will not falter, even in the darkest of nights. You three are strongest when you are together, never forget that. You will need each other in times to come… more than you know… Give my regards to the others, and don't forget… those gummi ships are for flight simulations only, no flying…_

_Sincerely, _

_The King _

Sora sat alone in the cockpit as he rolled the thin parchment back and forth across the control panels, his thoughts racing in circles around his head. He had read the message countless times since receiving it almost six months ago, and he could easily recite it word for word by memory. However, memorizing the words did little for helping him understand them… _What does he mean, "times to come"?_ Sora had a strong suspicion that the King was keeping something from him, something important. _But that doesn't make any sense… why would the King deliberately keep something important from me?_ He rolled open the parchment and traced his fingers over the words _"more than you know"._ He sighed heavily and leaned back in his captain's chair. _Maybe he __**is**__ keeping something from me…_

Sora closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose as he tried to organize his thoughts. _Xemnas and Xehanort were both destroyed… Maleficent and Pete were still around, but without the heartless they're hardly considered a serious threat… Organization XIII was demolished one by one… The Door to Darkness was sealed and Kingdom Hearts was locked safely... _The pressure headache accumulating between Sora's eyes intensified as he sorted the possibilities. _Maybe there's a new threat… Maybe someone new is trying to use Kingdom Hearts again… No, the King would definitely need the Keyblade Master for that… _

Sora pounded his fist into the armrest in frustration. Whatever the new threat was, he was convinced that he would not figure it out without talking with the King first. He sighed in defeat and stood up to go check on Kairi.

As he turned to leave, a familiar foreboding awareness flooded his senses and he immediately summoned the Oathkeeper as he scanned the cockpit. Suddenly, a dark pool swirled in the floor in front of him, and his eyes widened in horror as it materialized into an all-too-familiar image before him. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his weapon as the penetrating yellow eyes glared at him. "You!" he growled as he lunged his blade at the dark adversary. The figure dashed to the other side of the room in a blur of charcoal. Sora wasted no time, and charged with his keyblade brandished high over his head. Again, the figure whizzed past him before Sora was even close to attack range. _He's too fast! _Sora closed his eyes and channeled all his energy into summoning a second keyblade, the Oblivion. He had previously done it only in drive forms, but he knew had to try… it was his only hope.

"_Do you really think that will do you any good?" _Sora's eyes shot open and he immediately glared at the dark figure across the room; its face was split into an evil black grin as it stared at him blankly.

"What do you mean?!" Sora shouted angrily, as he felt a familiar heat growing in his left palm.

"_Summoning that pitiful Oblivion will only waste energy that, frankly, you don't have to spare…" _

Sora stared in disbelief at the shadowed twin. Although he heard the voice, clear as day… the figure's smile remained unchanged… his mouth forming no words as he crouched motionless in front of him. This only angered Sora more and his ragged breaths intensified as he continued to channel his energy into materializing his secondary weapon. "What are you?! Tell me!!"

"_I'm shocked the legendary Keyblade Master has yet to figure that out…" _The voice hummed in his ears and Sora cringed at the melodic quality as the dark figure remained motionless. _"I am born of all the darkness you have kept in your heart over the past two and half years. You really are a dark, dark boy, Sora… Anger, hatred, fear, lust, guilt, jealousy... Seriously, I'm stunned that you are jealous of Riku, of all people! As far the lust…I don't blame you." _Sora could not hide the astonishment written across his face._ "Oh yes Sora, I know all your heart's hidden secrets. All of which, you tried to keep to yourself. You didn't think I would just disintegrate if you continued to ignore me, did you?"_

Sora's jaw dropped. "No, you're wrong! That's impossible!" He clenched his teeth in determination as a flash of bright light escaped his palm and materialized into…

"_Ah, yes. I see that the darkness has already started its tear on you." _The voice chuckled in his head.

"What are you talking about—" Sora glanced down at the new weapon his fingers gripped. What he saw made his head spin and his lungs gasp for air. "What…how…"

In his grip was not the Oblivion, instead his fingers were wrapped firmly around the hilt of the keyblade he had used to free Kairi's heart in Hollow Bastion. The very keyblade Riku had wielded when his heart was consumed with darkness. The image from his dreams flooded his mind… half dark… half light…

Before Sora could muster a response, he felt his energy draining itself and he suddenly felt light headed as the room began to spin around him.

"_Tsk tsk tsk... Didn't I warn you that would happen? Honestly, Sora, I expected more…" _

Sora fell to his knees as he tried to regain his senses, both keyblades hung limply in each hand at his sides. He gritted his teeth as the darkness slowly started to close in around him… Through the haze, a devilish laughter rang and the dark figure moved towards him.

"_We are one in the same, you and I. I suppose I have you to thank for my existence. If it weren't for your ignorance and isolation, I would still be trapped in that worthless thing you call a heart." _An immense pain electrified through Sora's body as a cold black hand thrust itself against his chest. _"Ah yes… There it is…" _

"Get away from him!"

The figure hesitated and looked towards the source of the demand; however, before it could muster a response, it was knocked to the floor with a wide swing of a…

_Keyblade? _Sora could hardly believe his eyes. Surely he was dreaming. He had already passed out and this was just a dream…

Kairi didn't miss a beat, and she charged at the dark figure, her blade skillfully stretched out in front of her. Sora gawked in amazement as she dodged a quick blow and struck her dark opponent again across the side of the head with her keyblade, sending it flying to the opposite wall. However, it quickly recovered while still in the air and used the wall to catapult straight at her. In a blur, it hammered Kairi to the ground, knocking the breath out of her and sending her keyblade sprawling to the other side of the room.

"_Well well well… what have we here? A Princess of Heart, no doubt? Yes Sora, I don't blame at all for __**that**__ particular emotion… So lovely…" _

Sora watched helplessly as long smoky fingers traced along Kairi's jaw line as she lay under the dark figure, pinned to the floor. "Don't touch her!" Sora growled through clenched teeth. He tightened his grip on the two keyblades at his side as he felt a newfound strength begin to course through his veins. Piercing yellow eyes averted their stare to Sora and black lips curled once again into an evil grin as Kairi continued to struggle under the firm grasp.

"_Yes Sora… use that anger and hatred you have for me…"_

Sora winced as he pulled one foot out in front of him, so that he was bent on one knee. Using the keyblades for support, he pushed himself up and staggered to his feet, all the while never letting his glare leave the pair of yellow eyes staring back at him in amusement. "Get off of her!"

"_It feels good, doesn't it? To be able to use your hatred to fuel your control..." _The voice hissed in his ears as Sora drew a deep breath and took a coarse step forward.

"I said…Get off her!" He broke into a sprint, dragging the blades of his weapons along the floor, cutting two paths of shards and sparks behind him as he charged his dark adversary. In one motion, he swung one keyblade in an uppercut, sending the figure flying into the air, while simultaneously leaping in the air to come across the side of the figure's stomach with the other keyblade, which sent it crashing back down to the ground several feet away. Sora's muscles were burning, but not with pain. It was unexplainable, but he felt stronger, faster, and more powerful than ever.

He charged again as devilish laughter rang in his ears. _"Yes Sora! You feel it, don't you? Feel the anger giving you strength! The hatred giving you power!" _

Sora growled as he lunged at the dark figure, swinging both keyblades in a series of combos that sent it crashing against the far wall of the cockpit. Dismissing the dark keyblade in a flash of blackness, Sora grabbed the shadowy twin under the chin with his bare hand, pulled it to its feet and cornered it against the wall, the Oathkeeper held across the figure's throat. Hatred burned in Sora's clouded eyes as he glared at the amused yellow eyes staring back at him.

"_Do it! The final act of judgment… Let the hatred running through your veins do it. Give in to it… It only makes you stronger… makes __**me**__ stronger!" _

"Sora, NO!"

Sora vaguely heard Kairi's plea through the darkness surrounding him. "Why shouldn't I?!" he shouted, his glare still fixated on his prey.

"Sora, that's not you!! That's not who you are!! Please!" she called from across the room, tears in her voice as she pleaded.

Sora felt his face soften and the graying cloud in his eyes recede, but he held his position steadfastly.

"Please!" she repeated. "For me…"

Sora closed his eyes and steadied his breathing as he lowered his keyblade and loosened his grip on the figure.

"_We shall meet again, my master…" _the voice purred smoothly as the dark figure faded into the wall behind it in a black pool. _"Soon…"_

_----------------------------------------------------------------------_

**A/N: **Wow, Sora was pretty dark there huh? I'm hoping the rest of the chapters will be longer… my last final is on Tuesday, so we'll see what happens after that! Don't forget… no reviews means no more story! Review please!!


	8. Light

-1**A/N: **Thanks for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming! I love getting feedback!

Light

A funny thing, darkness is… As it takes over your senses and controls your thoughts and actions… It's powerful, yet peaceful, almost. Serene. A sense of letting go… Freedom. But at what cost? The price is steep… complete and utter separation from light. From hope. From love… Love. No… that is not something easily sacrificed. As powerful as darkness is… none is more so than love.

----------------------------------------------------------------

"What do you mean the King isn't here?!" Sora paced back and forth, his face buried in his hands. The audience chamber was, as usual, very large and very quiet.

"Just that! He isn't here…" Queen Minnie replied softly. "His departure yesterday was impromptu and sudden."

Sora groaned and shook his head back and forth in disbelief. _I knew it! I knew he was hiding something. This is bad… very bad…_

"I'm sorry Sora," the Queen empathized. "…but he did leave something for you."

Sora pulled his face out of his hands, exchanged a brief frown with Kairi and looked at the Queen in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm not sure how he knew that you would be coming… but…" she hesitated briefly before motioning to the large door at the end of the room. "Well, come with me. It's in his desk in the library." Sora shrugged his shoulders and he and Kairi followed the Queen down the hall to the library.

Being in Disney Castle again felt strange… yet comforting. Sora smiled as the memories of his last visit flooded his thoughts while they made their way towards the library.

--------------------------------_FLASHBACK-----------------------------_

"_Man! Can you believe they're throwing us a party?!" Riku beamed, throwing his arms around his two best friends. The large garden outside the gummi hanger was packed with all the inhabitants of Disney Castle as the trio made their way across the long red carpet that lead through the garden. It was obvious the King had a bigger event planned than he had originally told them._

_Sora blushed brilliantly at hearing his name cheered loudly from the crowd. "Can I have your autograph?" children ran up to him eagerly, pens and papers leading their way. He, of course, gratefully obliged. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would ever hear those words addressed to him! "Wow! Is that your girlfriend?"_

_Those words he wasn't exactly prepared for either. "Huh? What? N-no…" If at all possible, Sora's blush deepened as the little girl in front of him beamed from ear to ear. Kairi stole a sideways smile at Sora as he handed the little girl her autograph. "Kairi and I…" he said, glancing at the redhead, "we're uh… we're just friends…" He finished with his classic cheesy smile, his hands behind his head, and his cheeks a rosy crimson._

"_Well… she's very pretty…" the little girl whispered before running to go show her mother his signature._

_--------------------------------END FLASHBACK-----------------------_

"Sora?" Kairi looked at him concerned, "You okay?"

"Huh?" Sora's memories were interrupted and he found himself already sitting in an easy chair in the library.

"The Queen asked you if you remembered anything about the Cornerstone of Light…"

Sora shook his head slightly and smiled. "Oh, sorry… yeah… the Cornerstone of Light… It's what protects the castle from darkness, right?"

The queen nodded. "Yes. It is…" she sat down behind the large desk in the middle of the room and pulled open the top drawer. "The King put the Cornerstone here all those years ago when the castle was first built, to block out the darkness. Do you understand, Sora?"

"Umm, yeah… I guess. Your Majesty, what exactly is it the King left for me?"

The Queen pulled out a small parchment of cloth that was folded in a way that looked like something was wrapped inside of it. "As you know, Sora, light is the only thing that can truly dispel darkness. In the brightness of light, darkness can not exist." She slowly began pulling the flaps of the package open. She hesitated so that only the last flap lay covering the gift. "You may want to shield your eyes at first…"

With that, Sora and Kairi both shrugged at each other and used their hands as visors over their eyes, watching intently as the Queen pulled back the last flap.

Immediately a brilliant white light flooded around them, illuminating every corner and crevice of the room. Sora squinted hard against the glare and threw his other hand up in front of his have to shield his eyes from the blinding radiance. The light slowly began to dim until the room was back to normal. Sora withdrew his hands from his face and looked at the desk.

Sitting in the cloth was a small white orb. The queen gathered it up in the cloth and handed it to Sora. "Sora, this orb is made from the same material that the Cornerstone of Light is made from…" Sora nodded as he took the orb carefully. "I'm not sure how you'll use it, but the King wanted you to have it. He said that when the time came, you would know what to do with it."

"Thank you, uh, Your Majesty." Sora gently wrapped the orb back in the soft cloth and carefully put it in his pocket. As he zipped the pocket closed a thought suddenly occurred to him…_Riku!_ "Um, Your Majesty… You wouldn't happen to know if Riku is with the King… do you?"

The Queen's smile faded as she pondered his question. "Sora… Riku _was _here, for a while. But that was a couple of months ago and he only stayed for a few days with Chip and Dale worked on his gummi ship."

"Oh…" Sora couldn't hide his disappointment and Kairi put a reassuring hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"Sora, don't worry. I know, together, we will find Riku." Kairi smiled as she stood up, turning her attention to the Queen. "However, Your Majesty, if you don't mind… I am very tired and---"

"Oh! Yes, of course dear! My apologies!" Queen Minnie picked up the receiver on the desk. "Daisy, could you please show Kairi and Sora to their rooms… Thank you." She smiled and replaced the receiver, "I hope you don't mind, you'll be staying in the same rooms as before…"

"Not at all." Sora and Kairi both answered as the door opened and Daisy appeared to escort them to their rooms.

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Kairi smiled faintly as she closed the door to her room. It was just as she remembered it, luxurious, but not overdone. She stretched her arms over her head in a long yawn, relieving some of the stiffness in her muscles. The large four poster bed at the far end of the room called her name intently. She briefly entertained the idea of just collapsing under the satin sheets and forfeiting her battle with the sleep nagging at the back of her eyelids. However, she quickly decided that a hot shower would do wonders for her sore muscles.

She quickly undressed and started the shower in the large adjoining bathroom. As she stood under the falling water, letting it beat down on her shoulders and roll down her back, her mind wandered. Saying that she was just worried about Sora was probably the understatement of the century. Her encounters with darkness were limited, but she could easily sense a dark change in Sora. Hell, anyone who know him could see it… The Queen had obviously been concerned. Growing up, she and Sora had always been inseparable, but a dark disconnection had begun to eat away at their relationship as Sora slowly distanced himself from her. Of course, there were still brief moments when she could still see the brightness in his eyes and the warmth in his smile, but those moments were few and far between and were heavily outweighed with days of somberness and hazy isolation. _Why won't he just let me in? What is he trying to hide?_

She sighed heavily as she watched the water swirling down the drain at her feet. Funny… she wished that washing away Sora's troubles was as easy as that… just let them all go down the drain, never to be seen again. Then things could go back to the way they were… Riku could come home, Sora would be his old goofy self again, and Kairi would have them back. _But things will never be the same again… _she realized sadly as she shut the water off.

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Sora sat on the railing of the balcony, quietly watching the sun setting behind the castle walls. If there was one thing that he could never see enough of, it was sunsets… All the worlds he had visited had a unique and different sunset, each one as amazing as the next. So beautiful and so mesmerizing. The natural transition from day to night… from light to dark… He smirked at the irony, _who would have thought I would ever had something in common with a sunset?_

Ever since accepting his fate as the Keyblade Master, things had come more easily to him. And after all he had been through, it really took a lot to surprise him these days… But summoning that dark keyblade… now _that _was unexpected. He inhaled deeply as he willed the darkness to pool in his palm and morph into the shape of the keyblade. _A keyblade that unlocks people's hearts…_ He stretched the weapon out in front of him, admiring it. The suns colorful rays gleamed off the black blade and he could literally feel the power emanating off of it and coursing through his arm. No doubt, it felt good… _But why would this keyblade choose me…_

He shuddered as he thought about his fight the shadowed figure on the gummi ship earlier. _What does that mean, being born from the darkness in my heart? I'm the Keyblade Master! I'm not supposed to have any darkness in my heart!" _Even as he thought it, he knew how absurd it sounded. Of course he had darkness in his heart… He had spent that past two and half years of his life killing mindless creatures in constant contact with darkness, why _wouldn't _ some of the darkness latch itself onto him? _If murder doesn't put darkness in your heart, then what the hell does…_

But that thing… that shadow… He hated the way it had mocked him, willing him to give into his anger and kill it. After all, it would have been easy… the Oathkeeper was right at its throat. All it would have taken it one slice…

But Kairi had asked him to stop. Why he actually listened to her was still a mystery to him. But in the end, she had asked him to stop… and the shadow had gotten away. He frowned as he dismissed the keyblade in a cloud of smoke. Immediately he felt the strength of the weapon dissipate and he instantly missed its power. _No wonder Riku gave into the darkness… _He sighed as he watched the dim outline of the gardens below him dissolve as night enveloped the castle.

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**A/N: **Okay, so I realize that this chapter was pretty dull and all… I promise more action in the next! I also realize that I promised longer chapters… Well, this one took me all week to get out and I'm ready to friggin update! So get over it…. : )

I'm trying to work Riku more into the story, but I'm struggling with how to do that. If anyone has any suggestions, let me hear them!

BTW, if you like my story, I STRONGLY suggest reading "Fall Back" by Brightshadow 5. It's also about Sora battling his darkness and it is truly brilliant!! ; )


	9. Surrender

**A/N: **The italicized phrases in the beginning are from the encounter in the gummi ship, Sora is not "hearing voices"… as tempting as it was to give him schizophrenia...

Surrender

_I am born of all the darkness you have kept in your heart over the past two and half years…._

The shadow's words raced in torrid circles in Sora's head as he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Although his body was exhausted, his mind refused to give in to the sleep that he so desperately needed.

_Anger, hatred, fear, lust, guilt, jealousy... _

_I know all your heart's hidden secrets…_

He scowled as he tossed and turned, burying his head in the blankets in an attempt to drown out the words echoing off his skull. However, his attempts were futile, as his brain continued to replay them in a continuous loop.

_Ah, I see that the darkness has already started its tear on you…_

Annoyed and defeated, he pushed the covers back irately and rolled out of bed. Deciding some fresh air would do him some good, he opened the double doors leading out to the balcony and instantly caught a familiar scent on the night breeze.

_We are one in the same, you and I. I suppose I have you to thank for my existence…_

Intrigued, he leaned over the balcony railing, intently searching for the source. Normally, such a stench would leave his senses tingling and his reflexes awaiting ambush. But, for some reason… he felt… strangely calm.

_It feels good, doesn't it? To be able to use your hatred to fuel your control..._

An eerie silence filled the space around him as he looked out over the black gardens below him. He could barely make out the faint outlines in the night's bleakness, but a pair of unmistakable yellow eyes did not escape him.

_Let the hatred running through your veins do it. Give in to it… It only makes you stronger…makes __**me**__ stronger_

He smiled wildly as he summoned the Oathkeeper and the dark keyblade. Already, the power surging from the dark weapon fueled his intent as he surveyed his surroundings. This time, Kairi was not there to stop him. This time, he would not show mercy. "This time, you're mine," he growled before leaping to the balcony railing and spiraling down at the shadow, both keyblades stretched out in front of him, leading his attack…

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Riku sat perched on the edge of the tall building, shrouding his face from the cold wet raindrops as his piercing emerald eyes overlooked the dark skyline of the World That Never Was. The cool chill of the night air brushed his face and he filled his lungs with it, deeply inhaling the aroma of the city. Musty… metallic… damp… It truly was the most depressing place he had ever been. Who would want to live in a place where it's always night time and it's always raining? He silently smirked at the irony that he would have ended up here… of all places…

He frowned as he thought about his friends back on Destiny Islands. He longed for the sandy beaches and sunny skies of his tropical paradise home. His frown deepened as he contemplated his recent subjection of himself to such harsh environments and questionable characters. He had never much been one for self persecution, but since being engulfed in darkness, it didn't seem so farfetched. He had quickly decided that whatever misfortune fell in his lap, he deserved it.

What he didn't understand was how easily Sora had turned away from darkness. Sure, he had briefly entertained the idea of staying on the shores of that dark beach after defeating Xemnas, agreeing with Riku that "we could be the darkness". But Kairi's note was all it took to open the Door to Light and change his mind. Or maybe, the note really had nothing to do with it at all… Perhaps, Kairi was the answer all along. Maybe, he had turned away from darkness for her.

Kairi. Truthfully, she was Riku's inspiration for something totally different. Quite the opposite, really... He had surrendered to darkness gladly to save her heart… He loved her, and if returning her heart meant sacrificing someone else's, he didn't think twice before summoning his dark keyblade and ripping that heart out of their chest… even if it meant his best friend's chest. He shuddered as a familiar guilt lay heavy in his chest. After staying behind in the realm of darkness, he had decided to do whatever it took to help Sora. So when he met Diz and was told to retrieve Roxas from the Organization, it seemed natural to ask no questions and immediately obey. Of course, his first battle with the Nobody was a complete failure. So he had sacrificed his identity selflessly to defeat Roxas and help Diz retrieve Sora's memories. Although he considered his debt repaid, he couldn't quite bury the guilt that comes along with betraying your best friend, even if it was for love…

Riku had long since come to terms with the fact that Kairi didn't return his love for her, at least not in the same respect. She was a Princess of Heart, possessing only light in her pure heart, and he had lived in darkness and been a slave to its power. As hard as it was to let his feelings for her go, he did it knowing that her heart belonged to Sora… quite literally actually… Truth be told, he was actually happy for his friends. As oblivious as they were to each other, he cared immensely for them both… obviously. If Sora could make Kairi smile, if he could make her happy, then that was good enough for him…

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The pale moonlight showered though the large windows, illuminating her bedroom in a soft pastel glow. After her shower, Kairi had actually found it near impossible to fall asleep and she sighed heavily as she ran her fingers across her brow line and through her hair. She couldn't stop the barrage of thoughts and memories that had plagued her sleepless nights for the past two and half years.

She sighed as she traced her fingers along the edge of the sheets. Despite growing up without parents or knowing where she was from, she had always considered herself lucky. Perhaps it was because she felt that with Riku and Sora, she didn't need a family. _They_ were her family… She knew when Riku left the island a few months ago, that he would come back. She even knew when they were all split up, each battling darkness in their own way, that they would be together again. She always had been the optimistic one of the group…

However, as she lay in bed, thinking about her two best friends, her heart ached. Actually, the continuous familiar throbbing in her chest was something that she had gotten used to over the past few weeks, and it was only when she was very still and concentrating hard enough that she could be reminded of its presence. The pain that stabbed at her chest the other night in the "Secret Place" was case in point…

The ache in her heart intensified as the images of Sora struggling against the darkness flooded her head. Somehow, she had known that this would happen. She could sense the darkness growing in Sora's heart since Riku's absence. She tried to convince herself otherwise, but there was certainly no denying it now. She didn't really understand why it was that she was so perceptive to darkness' presence… Maybe it was because she was a Princess of Heart. But then again… she hadn't had the same intuitions when Riku was slowly being possessed by darkness. Perhaps it was because she and Sora shared something that she had never shared with Riku… a heart.

As her mind raced, Kairi sighed… Surrendering to the fact that sleep would not be taking her anytime soon, she decided some fresh air might help clear her head.

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"_This time, you're mine," he growled before leaping to the balcony railing and spiraling down at the shadow, both keyblades stretched out in front of him, leading his attack… _

The clashing of Sora's keyblades filled the night air as he come crashing down on his prey, fury gleaming in his sapphire eyes. The shadow was quick, expecting the attack, and its black face split into a manic grin as its long claws pierced the skin across Sora's face, leaving blood streaming from three long gashes. The copper taste filled Sora's mouth, but his rage hid the pain as he raced at his foe, expertly swinging both keyblades and landing a series of combos. The shadow was quick to retaliate and dug its claws into the flesh behind Sora's shoulders and sent him soaring through the air after a few lightening fast blows to his stomach.

The rotten stench of blood and darkness filled the air around them as Sora airily recovered and crossed both keyblades in an "X" shape in front of him as he relentlessly lashed out at his attacker. The dark keyblade's power flowed through his veins and sent waves of adrenaline crashing though his body as he landed blow after blow across his foe. He could feel the attacks getting stronger and his adversary getting closer and closer to death with each hit, and it fueled his rage. The world around him was a complete blur as he honed in on his target, his prey…

The figure lashed out at him senselessly, but its attacks were easily blocked with the keyblades. Sora sneered as the Oathkeeper pierced the shadow's stomach and blackness began oozing from the open wound, leaving a black bloody pool at the shadow's feet. He raised the blade of his weapon and was entranced as he watched the black substance drip down the blade and ooze across his knuckles. It was cold and slippery in between his fingers and as it dipped down his forearm and off the end of his elbow, he struggled to resist the urge to flick his tongue across his blade, just to see what the darkness tasted like.

He quickly turned his attention back to his wounded prey that was now lying in a heap a few yards away, a trail of black blood connecting it to Sora. Sora's eyes flickered wildly as he took a few long strides and planted one foot on top of the figure's chest, both keyblades pointed at its throat. "This is it… It's over…" he hissed as he glared at the shadow through the scarlet veil of blood covering his eyes. "After tonight, my darkness is gone. _You're_ gone."

Kairi watched in horror from her balcony window as Sora's keyblades pierced the shadow's throat, black blood gushing from the fatal wound. She opened her mouth to scream, but couldn't find her voice against the familiar thin air encompassing the gardens. A whimpered yelp escaped the lump in her throat as she collapsed against the balcony railing, tears blurring her vision of the gruesome scenery below her. She gripped the slender columns of the railing as she struggled to block out the sounds of the devilish laughter that was ringing throughout the courtyard.

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**A/N: **Soooo… let me know what you think. REVIEW: )


	10. Love and Hate

**A/N: **Soooo… yeah. Here's chapter 9!! I was listening to Bush when I wrote it, so that's where the chap title came from… If you don't like it… I don't really give a rat's ass! Read: )

Love and Hate

The castle interior was dark. Black. But that didn't stop him from tearing through the hallways, an animal hunting its prey. His yellow eyes fixated in front of him as he sped forward on all fours, leaving long smoky trails of darkness behind him. From down the hallway he could hear her heart beating in a melodic rhythm, calling to him. The smell of her was intoxicating and it almost sent him over the edge. Almost. It was all he could do to hold back the saliva accumulating in his black mouth as he neared her door.

The pale moonlight shining through the large picture windows did little to illuminate the dark room. However, he would not be relying on sight, as he could easily hear her clumsy ragged breaths behind him as he entered the room.

"Sora?" He snickered at the upward inflection in her voice. One simple word turned into a thousand questions… Questions that he was sure she already knew the answers to.

His ears twitched with the vibrations of her footsteps along the hardwood floor, causing the corners of his black cold lips to curl into an evil grin. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting…" He spun around slowly, his yellow eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"You!" Kairi's angry stare amused him as she summoned her keyblade, "What have you done with Sora?!" He could hear the desperation and fear behind the façade of confidence in her voice. Her hands trembled, clutching the keyblade as she aimed it at his chest while she slowly circled around him.

"Spare me the heroics, Princess," he hissed as he locked eyes with her. "This is what has become of me. Take a good long look; this is what happens when you dance with darkness for too long."

"I don't believe you" Kairi responded raggedly, still grasping the hilt of her weapon as she sidestepped around him. "You're lying!" She cringed as his dark laughter filled the room.

"Don't tell me you didn't see this coming. It was long overdue…" He sneered as he stretched out his palm, a black pooling mass morphing into the dark keyblade. "As is this!!" he hissed as he lunged at her.

Kairi back stepped, narrowly dodging his black blade as it pierced the space between them. Immediately, her keyblade collided with his in a shower of sparks as he again lunged an attack at her. She bit her bottom lip in determination as she blocked his advances, which were growing in intensity with each hit.

"Why are you doing this?!" she screamed. Fighting back the tears threatening to blur her already obscure vision, she continued to defensively block his attacks.

"Sooner or later you are going to have to strike back, Princess!" He growled as he ran the blade of his weapon along her keyblade, hot embers cascading to the ground.

She winced as the black blade nicked her arm, leaving a long thin trail of bright red blood. _I can't do this! I can't fight Sora… _A tiny voice in the back of her head tried to reason with her, _whatever that thing is, it is __**not**__ Sora. _Inhaling deeply, she furrowed her brow and charged her keyblade at the silhouette of her best friend.

"Surely a Princess of Heart can do better than _that._" He cooed as he easily blocked her barrage of attacks.

Her muscles burned with exhaustion and her arm was numb where the blood trickled across her skin, but her resolve was fueled with his provoking and she charged again. Her keyblade dug into the flesh across the side of his shoulder and he howled at the impact as he staggered backwards, clutching his injured appendage, black blood oozing between his claw-like fingers.

She sprinted at him, her keyblade leading her attack as she unleashed a series of powerful combos across the shadow. He awkwardly blocked the first few strikes, but as her hits got more accurate and forceful, he retreated in a blur to the other side of the room to escape her deadly blows.

He stared at her incredulously as she stood on the other side of the room panting, her azure eyes pierced in a penetrating glare. Her strength surprised him, he never expected her to put up such a fight. "I see you've been keeping something from me, Princess," he taunted as he twirled his blade in his fingers. "Don't you know what happens when you keep secrets from your friends…" he hissed as he charged her with his keyblade.

Dark shrouds littered the ground as his blade sliced through hers effortlessly. Darkness pooled around the black keyblade as he emitted violent strikes across her small frame. Her screams of agony numbed his senses as he struck her again across the side of stomach. Strange… he thought he would have actually enjoyed this more…

Kairi growled in determination as she held her keyblade over her head, her eyes fixated on him in a cerulean glare. "Light!" she screamed as a wave of light escaped her keyblade and crashed through the room, illuminating it in a stark white contrast.

A deafening howl surged through the castle as the wave of light coursed through Sora's black body, burning his flesh and taking with it, his strength. He staggered backwards, lowering his blade and loosening his grip on its hilt.

"Don't you know that darkness can not exist in….Light!" she called again, as she took a few bold steps forward, eyes locked on the silhouette.

Sora's keyblade clamored to the ground; he clutched his head in his hands and fell to his knees as another bloodcurdling scream escaped him. The intensity of her spells ate away at the blackness shell encompassing him, and slowly it began to melt from his hands in long sticky streams.

Kairi stood only a few feet away and she shuddered as she stared at the melting mass of blackness oozing from Sora's body. "Light…" Her spells were wearing on her strength, and she knew she had little left to fuel her magic.

Sora threw back his head in another howl as the darkness dripped from his face, mixing with the contrasting bright red blood that was still oozing from three deep gashes cut along his face. His body burned with the brilliance of the light and he collapsed forward so that he was on his hands and knees, panting heavily. His breaths came in irregular puffs and it was all he could do just to fill his lungs with them.

"Light…" Kairi clutched her keyblade with white knuckles, her fingernails digging into the soft flesh of her palm. Her head spun and she fell to her knees in front of him, her legs too weak to support her weight anymore.

He winced in pain as another wave of excruciating light crashed through him, tearing at the darkness that was now dripping from his waist. Sapphire tears began to pool in the corners of his eyes as he hung on to the last bit of darkness left clutching to his legs as he collapsed onto the hard floor. He could feel his heart beating slower, almost not at all… His breaths soft and uneven… His vision foggy… His body numb…

Kairi sat back on her heels as tears streamed down her face in long wet trails. "Light…" her voice barely over a whisper, her last ounce of energy escaped her and surged out of her keyblade, blinding the room and its inhabitants. She fell to his side in a heap of tears and sweat as the last bit of darkness soaked into the floorboards.

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**A/N: **Oh man… I just love happy endings, don't you?? Haha jk

I know its short!! But I really liked where it ended…

Seriously, I really _really_ _**really**_ need reviews for this chapter, because it was a bitch to write!! Arg! I need input people! Tell your friends… or people you don't know…I don't really care: )

AND! Don't forget… "Fall Back"… Brightshadow 5… possibly better than my story… possibly… ; ) It's awesome people, just read it!!


	11. All I Ask of You

**A/N: **Ok, ok , ok… I know! I did a song chapter… I jumped on the bandwagon… (sigh) I just love Phantom of the Opera… I changed the words a little in the song, and I left parts out, so sue me… Kairi is not going to tell Sora that she loves him _that _easily!! It's mushy and kind of dull… oh well… I like it: )

Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera, or the song, or the characters. So there… : p

All I Ask of You

Sora awoke, his senses numb, a dull headache throbbing between his eyes. His world around him was blurry as he tried to focus his awareness. Through the haze he could hear singing, a beautiful siren…

_No more talk of darkness_

_Forget these wide-eyed fears_

_I'm here, nothing can harm you_

_My words will warm and calm you_

He felt lost in the words of the melodic song and he found her voice enchanting. As he slipped out of the fog he realized that a soft warm hand was stroking his forehead. He felt soothed by the touch, and the song…

_Let me be your freedom_

_Let daylight dry your tears_

_I'm here, with you, beside you_

_To guard you and to guide you_

As she hummed the soft tune, he began to feel the warmth of the blankets around him, the softness of the firm mattress supporting him. The smell of rubbing alcohol and fabric softener filled his nostrils as he slowly breathed in the crisp clean air. As she sang again, her words reached his soul as he fought against the fog, trying to reach her…

_Let me be your shelter_

_Let me be your light_

_You're safe, no one will find you_

_Your fears are far behind you_

_All I want is freedom_

_A world with no more night_

_And you, always beside me_

_To hold me and to hide me…_

Kairi… tears pooled underneath his closed eyelids as he recognized her voice… He wanted to pull her into his arms, hold her, let her know everything would be okay. But he didn't… he couldn't… he couldn't move, not if it meant that she would stop singing… He felt something in her words that he hadn't felt in a long time… happy.

_Say you'll share with me _

_One light, one freedom_

_Let me lead you from your solitude_

_Say you need me with you_

_Here beside you_

_Anywhere you go, let me go too_

_Sora, that's all I ask of you…_

"Oh, Sora… Please wake up…" Kairi whipped the tears from her cheeks and clutched his hand in hers as she sobbed into the mattress. "I'll never forgive myself if you don't wake up…" she cried.

It had been almost three days since Sora had involuntarily surrendered to darkness. Three days since Kairi had battled for her life with her best friend. Three days since the darkness had temporarily departed from Sora's body.

Three days since the last time Sora had been awake… and three days since the last time Kairi had been asleep…

She had spent every painfully waking moment, sitting at his bedside in the infirmary, much to the objection of the royal court. The Queen insisted she needed her sleep to heal, but a few elixirs had easily taken care of her spent energy and bruised body. Sora needed her, and she refused to abandon him. She squeezed his hand as she laid her head by his arm. His body was limp and his pulse weak as he lay in a deep sleep.

She shuddered as she thought about the encounter… No doubt, her light spell saved her life. But at what cost? She had almost killed Sora in the process… The _real _Sora. Somewhere, he had lain behind that black mask, that she was sure of. If Daisy hadn't woken up from all the commotion… Well, she didn't really want to think what might have happened…

Kairi gasp as Sora moaned and slowly opened his eyes, "Kairi?"

"Sora!" she quickly stood up and whipped her wet cheeks as a smile played across her lips for the first time in three days. She leaned over him as she peered into his sapphire blue eyes, "It's really you…"

Sora huffed as Kairi collapsed across his chest, burying her face in the crook of his neck, "Kairi—"

"This is real…" she said flatly into his neck. (A/N: yeah I know, I stole that line from KH II, it fits okay!)

He smiled as he brought one arm around her back and ran his fingers through her hair with the other hand. "Kairi, I…" Well… what exactly could he say during this Kodak of moments… "Kairi…"

"Sora!" she stood back, pulling out the embrace as she playfully scolded him, "Did you suffer brain damage? Is my name the only thing you remember how to say, or what?"

And there goes the Kodak moment… He smiled sheepishly, "Sorry Kai, I guess I'm kind of at a loss for words…" He winced as he tried to sit up. He grabbed at his temples, his head pounding between his hands. "Oh, my head…"

Kairi reached her hand out, offering Sora a bright green bottle of potion. "Here… This should help."

Sora smiled his thanks as he took the bottle from her hand, popped the cork off, and downed the contents. He grimaced at the bitter taste, but felt his muscles strengthen and his headache recede as the potion worked its magic. He inhaled deeply as surveyed his surroundings, "The infirmary?"

Kairi nodded as she took the empty bottle and sat it on the rolling cart by the bed.

"Kai…What…what, um…" Sora struggled to find the right words to ask the question he needed to know the answer to, without worrying Kairi about his amnesia…

"Sora?" she looked at him with an expression saying… 'spit it out'

He sighed heavily, defeated… "Kairi, what exactly happened? Why…why am I in the infirmary?"

_What? He doesn't know? He doesn't remember? _"Sora… We um…" now she was the one struggling to find the right words. _How do you tell your best friend that he succumbed to darkness and tried to kill you? How do you tell your best friend that you almost killed him? …Well, you don't…_ She couldn't bear for Sora to have anymore guilt laid on his heart, nor could he. The Royal Court had all assumed that Kairi and Sora were ambushed, and she hadn't had the strength to divulge the truth. So…"Sora, we were attacked. Ambushed…"

Sora's jaw dropped in shock. "By who??"

"Um…" Kairi stalled, she was a horrible liar. _Good thing Sora's the most naïve person I know… gullible too… _"Heartless?" She didn't mean for it to sound like a question, it just came out that way.

Apparently Sora didn't notice the upward inflection. He didn't say anything; he just rubbed the back of his neck with his hand as he slowly nodded his head. His mind was hard at work, internal gears turning in thought. His face was so contorted in concentration, she could swear she saw smoke coming out of his ears.

"Uh, Sora?" Kairi raised her eyebrows and waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention.

"I knew it…" Sora reached underneath the sheets and pulled a roll of parchment from his pocket. He didn't unroll it… just held it in his hand as he mumbled incoherently to himself.

"Sora? Hello?" Kairi leaned over in front of him. But he stared past her…

"I knew it… I knew the King was keeping something from me!" He sighed as his eyes slowly focused on her face.

Kairi smiled meekly. "Sora, I think…"

"We need to plan our next move Kai…" Sora interrupted. "I think our best bet is start in Radiant Garden. Even if Riku isn't there, Leon and the gang might have some information for us about what's going on…"

Kairi eyes lit up and her smile widened. "Really?! You mean…"

"Yep, Kairi. You're going to get to see your home." Sora grinned as he climbed out of bed. "Come on! We gotta get going if we're going to find Riku soon!" he called over his shoulder as he ran out of the infirmary.

Kairi smiled to herself as she followed Sora out of the infirmary. After a quick stop by the Queen's quarters to let the others know Sora was awake, she and Sora gathered their things and made their way to the gummi hanger.

The Queen was eager to supply them both with several bottles of potions and ethers, even some munny so they could stock up on supplies in Radiant Garden. She left them both with a warning to watch out for each other and reminder to Sora to be careful with the light orb and guard it with his life. The each nodded in agreement as they hugged their goodbyes and boarded the gummi ship once again.

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**A/N: **Gasp! Will Kairi's lie get the better of her? Will Sora remember that he tried to kill his best friend? Will Donald and Goofy be in this fanfic? I don't know… lol

Review review review por favor!!!


	12. Changes

**A/N: **Okay people… an avid reviewer of mine, whose name will not be mentioned (cough cough ….kingdomfantasyanime453…cough cough), pointed out to me that in the game Kairi does not learn that she is originally from Radiant Garden… BUT! I figured that Sora and the gang had been home for 6 months before all this started happening and _surely_ he would have told Kairi about Radiant Garden from what he learned in the Ansem Reports…. Don't you think??

Thank you kingdomfantasyanime453, whose penname is very long and hard to remember ; ), for pointing out my inaccuracies and my apologies to my readers for not foreseeing the confusion! Carry on…

Changes

Nothing ever really turns out how you expect it to. Things just always seem to change, morph into something completely different from how it started. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, per say… But every once in a while, it would be nice to be prepared for something… _anything…_

The changes that had taken place in the eight or nine months since Sora's last departure from Radiant Garden were… for lack of a better word… different. He didn't really know what to expect from the Restoration Committee, but it certainly wasn't _this. _He guessed the name "Radiant _Garden" _insinuated there would be… well… gardens! But as he stood under the towering buildings and roaring generators that were anything but radiant he felt… depressed. Disappointed, really… He had hoped, for Kairi's sake, for lush gardens and decorative architecture, something that lived up to the name. What he got was tattered buildings and noisy machinery. _Maybe they should have just left the name Hallow Bastion…_

Sora sighed as he led Kairi through the market streets, praying she wasn't too disappointed with the town's scenery, or lack thereof. He glanced over at her and chuckled at her wide eyes and child-like expression. Obviously she wasn't too terribly disappointed… As they passed by the shops and stands, her gaze widened.

"Kairi, if you're not careful, your eyes may pop out of your head!" he laughed as she immediately retreated her stare and covered her blushing cheeks.

Sora grinned as they neared the over-sized ice box that was Uncle Scrooge's ice cream parlor. "Hey Kai…" he grabbed her hand and began running towards it.

Kairi giggled as Sora dragged her past the last few shops of the market, "Sora! What are you doing?!"

"Come on!" he called over his shoulder, "I have a surprise for you!"

Kairi eyed him suspiciously as he hugged the small duck-man-thing… that was apparently the owner of the establishment. After being introduced as Donald's uncle, the three exchanged a few pleasantries and Sora ordered two of the "special". They took their ice creams to the nearby steps and sat down in a ledge to enjoy them. "Mmmmm… Salty… But, Sweet…" Kairi smiled wildly as she ran her tongue up and down the blue-green tropical treat.

Sora laughed at her as she eagerly licked at the sticky drips as it melted in her hand. "Not bad, huh?"

She nodded vigorously in response, continuing to lick and bite at her ice-cream. Suddenly her face contorted into a grimace as she yelped and flattened her palm into her forehead.

"Kairi! Are you okay…" Sora asked concerned.

"Brain freeze!" she squealed. Sora stared at her blankly before they both erupted into fits of laughter.

The changes that Kairi had watched take place as Sora had began his battle with darkness faded away as she watched him double over, clutching his sides in laughter. It felt good to see his smile, to hear his laugh, to see the light return to his eyes. She realized that just seeing Sora smile had always been enough to make her happy.

As Sora struggled to regain his composure he suddenly felt a familiar sensation that raised the hairs on the back of his neck. His pupils constricted as he narrowed his focus, his senses alert to the presence of darkness… the presence of heartless.

He grabbed Kairi's hand and leapt from the ledge they were sitting on, causing her to drop her half-eaten ice cream. "Sora? What's wrong…" she trailed off as she too felt the air thin around her and the tightness in her chest. Sora frowned and summoned his keyblades as he was struck in the back of the head by a…

_Heartless?_ Kairi's eyes widened in disbelief. "But… that… that can't be!" she stammered, half above a whisper. _The heartless aren't __**really **__back… are they?_

"Kairi! Snap out of it!" Sora screamed as his keyblades sliced through two Neo Shadows, extinguishing them in two black puffs of smoke. "Get out of here!"

Kairi shook her head, breaking her chain of thoughts. She suddenly realized they were surrounded by a dozen or so Neo Shadows. She vaguely heard Sora growl as he swung his keyblades around him, the number of heartless surrounding them decreasing with each swing.

As his blades sliced through the last Neo Shadow, he grabbed her hand and ran towards Merlin's. "Come on!" More heartless materialized around them, and Kairi summoned her own keyblade in a bright flash of light.

As they fought their way through the heartless, Kairi's mind was far from the black puffs of smoke that littered the sky above them. One word was spinning around in her thoughts in continuous circles, _How? _

The cycle was finally broken with the slamming of the door as they barged into Merlin's house, a.k.a. headquarters for the Restoration Committee. Sora panted as he stood in the small entry, scanning the room around him. It looked just as he remembered it… very small… very cramped… but very homey. He frowned as he suddenly realized that it was also… very empty.

"Where… where is everybody?" Kairi gasped between breaths.

"I don't know…" Sora replied softly as he handed her a bottle of potion. "Come on. Wherever they went, they haven't been gone long… There's still a fire in the fireplace. I'm sure they'll be back soon. "

Kairi nodded agreeably as she swallowed a few mouthfuls of the pungent liquid and followed him to the far side of the room. They each silently took their seats on opposite sides of the room. Kairi sighed as she relaxed into the soft fabric of the sofa. _What is going on?… Heartless?... Here?... In Radiant Garden?..._

Sweat dripped down the skin under Sora's nose and rested on his upper lip in salty beads. The heat radiating from the nearby fire burning in the furnace was harsh. He turned his head to look at the fire, and soon became mesmerized by the colorful flames. He was awestruck at how the flames lapped at the wood and slowly consumed it. He realized that fire was relentless, and that it will continue to devour everything in its path until nothing is left to incinerate. _Just like darkness… _

Sora smiled involuntarily as he watched Kairi mulling over her own thoughts. _She looks so cute with her lips pursed like that… But why does she look so surprised? According to what she said happened the other night at Disney Castle, this is the __**second**__ time we've been ambushed by heartless since leaving Destiny Islands… _"Kairi, are you okay?" he asked softly, looking at her quizzically.

"Hm? Oh, yeah…sorry…I'm, I'm fine." She blushed, realizing he had been staring at her. "I was just thinking…"

He continued to question her with his gaze; but when she didn't respond, he asked "What were you thinking about?"

"N-nothing. Um, I'm just glad we're okay…" she stammered. _And wondering how the hell this happened. There aren't __**actually **__supposed to be heartless! _She was so busy cursing herself for ever telling Sora that they had been attacked by heartless, she didn't even notice him sit down beside her on the sofa, concern hanging in the short distance between them. Her face softened at the worried expression her was wearing. Her gaze landed on the three healing scars across his face as she remembered why she had even lied in the first place… _Sora must never know what happened… It would tear him apart…_

"Kai, are you sure you're okay?"

She didn't answer as she continued to stare at the thin lines scarring the face that had filled her dreams since as long as she could remember. "Sora, I just don't want you to get hurt…" she mentally kicked herself as the words fell out of her mouth without her intending for them to. She immediately buried her blushing cheeks in her palms. "I mean… I just… I… I'm just tired. That's all." Her brow wrinkled as she struggled to regain her composure, not noticing a stray wisp of crimson hair fall across her face, getting caught in her long dark eyelashes. "You know, a few more potions, and I think those scars will be healed completely." Before she knew what she was doing, she lifted her hand to his face and traced her fingers along the scratches, tilting her head in thoughtfulness.

Sora smiled warmly as he felt heat rising in his own cheeks. Without even thinking, he gently reached up and brushed the hair out of her eyes. His fingers lingered at the patch of skin just behind her ear as he tucked the stray hair there. "Kairi, you know that I would never let anything happen to you… I promise…" His fingers seemed to have a mind of their own as they slowly traced the outline of her jaw to her chin. He couldn't believe what he was doing, but he couldn't help himself, her skin was so soft and warm. He let out a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding as he moved his thumb around her chin and ran it along the crevice just under her bottom lip. Her hand was stationary at his brow line, her fingers resting lightly on the scratch over his eye as she bent her head down, leaning into his touch.

He slowly raised her chin so their gaze met. Her azure eyes were wide and the fire light danced across her face, casting shadows and enhancing her already stunning features. He felt himself leaning into her and realized that she was doing the same. Her hand gracefully fell from his forehead as she wrapped her arm across his shoulder and lightly rested her fingertips on the back of his neck. He closed his eyes and could feel the warmth of her breath on his lips as his heart raced with anticipation…

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**A/N: **What? Huh? A kiss? Can it be?

OK, so I hurt my back at work yesterday lifting a patient like three times my size (I know… Not smart…) So I am currently laid up in bed with a heating pad, a beer, and my laptop… And this is what that culminated into! Sooooo… REVIEW!!!!!


	13. Interruptions

**A/N: **Yeah! I updated again in less than 24 hours! Man I'm good… haha

Let's see… where were we… Ah, yes, now I remember… _**He closed his eyes and could feel the warmth of her breath on his lips as his heart raced with anticipation**_**…** (laughs evilly) …Damn… I just realized that I am still the tease I was in high school… (sigh) oh well…

Interruptions

"Damn it Yuffie! Don't you ever just SHUT UP?!" Cid's intruding voice rang throughout the small room as he, Yuffie, Leon, and Aerith stumbled through the door, shattering Kairi and Sora's tender moment to the ground in a million pieces. The commotion was enough to wake the entire town and Kairi winced at the sound.

Sora sighed in disappointment and he and Kairi quickly withdrew, avoiding each other's eyes. _Thanks guys… Perfect timing… _He shifted his eyes towards Kairi's. She was fumbling with her hair and doing anything but look at him. Feeling the awkwardness of the moment, he quickly stood up and crossed the room to greet his old friends.

"Holy shit…" Cid stared in disbelief at Sora as he walked up to him. "Is that… Damn! It is you kid!"

"Hey guys!" Sora's irritation with the intrusion dissipated as he took in the faces of the friends that he saw so little of. "How's it going?"

"No offense, kid…" Leon interjected.

"Hey! Would you guys stop calling me 'kid' already?! You know… I turn 17 in a few weeks…" Sora interrupted.

"As I was saying…" Leon rolled his eyes and continued, "No offense, _Sora_… but your presence here never means that thinks are hunky-dory. That being said… What's wrong now?"

_Did Leon just say 'hunky-dory'? _"Uh…nothing's wrong… I'm just looking for my friend… Riku…" Sora rubbed the back of his neck nervously, _If they don't know about the heartless yet, they soon will… _He purposely left off the fact that he had been battling his own problems since the end of their last journey… "So… is this the kind of welcome that all your honorary members get??"

Sora immediately regretted his words as Yuffie picked him up in a bear hug, narrowly squeezing the life out of him as she squealed incoherently in his ear. It wasn't until after he regained his senses and the color in his face that he noticed the pungent odor of…

"Have you guys been drinking??" Sora laughed as Aerith tripped over her own feet as she stumbled towards him.

"Sorry Sora…" she said in the soft sweet voice that was only Aerith's as she gave him a friendly hug, "We just went so long without relaxing and having fun… Guess you could say that we're catching up on old times."

Sora smiled at the thought… _old times… watching the sunsets… playing on the beach… just him, Riku, and Kairi… Kairi… was I really just that close to kissing Kairi… Kairi! _"Oh! Guys, I almost forgot… Guess who else is here!"

Kairi smiled meekly as she crossed the room to make her presence known. Yuffie proceeded to strangle her with the same bear hug she had just encased Sora in. "Oh my gosh! Kairi! You've grown! Gosh you're gorgeous! I love what you did with your hair! You're almost as tall as me now! Where'd you get the new outfit? And how'd..." Sora rolled his eyes as Yuffie rambled on, not noticing the 'help me' expression Kairi was sending his way as Yuffie still hadn't loosened her grip on her.

"Yuffie, honey…" Aerith, however did notice, and she gently pulled the bubbling brunette from Kairi and led her to sit down in a nearby chair. "I think you need to sit for a little while…" she turned her smile towards Kairi who mouthed a 'thank you' and hugged her calmly, "It's good to see you Kairi. Sorry about Yuffie, I think she may have overdone it a little at the bar…"

"A little?" Leon asked sarcastically as Yuffie continued to ramble off in gibberish to no one in particular.

Sora laughed genuinely at his friends, "Man… it's really good to see all of you!"

"Aw, damn it kid…" Cid grabbed Sora around the neck and pulled his head to his waist in a headlock, "It sure is good to see you…" he laughed as he ran his knuckles across Sora's skull.

"Hey gramps! Knock it off…" Sora laughed as he pulled out of the headlock. "So, um… you guys haven't seen Riku… have you?" He asked the question, afraid that he already knew the answer.

"Nope, sorry…" Leon answered coolly. "How is it you are always loosing him? Every time we see you it seems like you're looking for him—"

Leon was cut off with Aerith's elbow in his ribs as she glared at him. "Unbelievable Squall…" she whispered harshly.

He returned the glare at the sound of his real name and rolled his eyes, turning his attention back towards Sora… who wasn't wearing a very pleasant expression himself.

"Look, _Leon, _he left Destiny Islands a few months ago on his own accord. I need to find him…" he turned his attention towards Kairi, "_We _need to find him."

Leon sighed as he shook his head, "Sorry Sora…" he mumbled, "he hasn't been by here."

Sora nodded understandably. "Okay… Well, guys… we um… we kind of need a place to stay for the night…"

"Yeah! Stay here!" Yuffie exclaimed as she raced from her chair and grabbed Kairi by the arm, jumping up and down at her side. "We could have a sleepover!"

Sora looked at Leon and Cid, raising his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders, "Do you guys mind if we crash here tonight?"

"Of course not kid! You know you can crash here anytime!" Cid replied warmly.

"Thanks _gramps_. Appreciate it…" Sora smiled as Aerith turned towards a chest and pulled out some blanket and pillows.

"Here, you guys can use these. Sorry we don't have any extra beds…"

Sora and Kairi took the blankets and pillows graciously. "That's okay Aerith. Kai can sleep on the couch… I'll take the floor."

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Sora moaned as he trudged through the dark streets of Radiant Garden. Not being able to sleep, as usual, he had decided to take a walk and clear his head. He had been extra careful not to wake anyone as he slipped out, and now he was walking quietly, anxious to see if the Restoration Committee had done anything yet with the pile of rubble that had once been the Bailey. The blackness of the night sky comforted him and he smiled as he acknowledged the thousands of stars dotting the bleakness. _No… not stars… worlds. _He reminded himself as he neared the landing that stretched out into the Bailey.

Radiant Garden was so quiet… He remembered how it had looked only a few months ago when he departed the last time before facing Xemnas…a sleepy town in the middle of a raging war between light and darkness… A war that he had thought was finally over…

He paused at the window overlooking what used to be Maleficent's castle. He smiled to see that the Restoration Committee had wasted no time in bulldozing it to the ground, the violet chasms that surrounded the town reaching all the way to the flat horizon seamless. _Good riddance… _

As he leaned against the stone wall, looking out over the dark barrens, he suddenly realized that he had been gone from Merlin's for almost half an hour and he had yet to see a heartless. He shrugged off the thought just as soon as it had come, but summoned his keyblades regardless, just in case…

As he continued to stare out into the night, he slung the Oathkeeper over his shoulder and let the dark Keyblade of Hearts dangle at his side. The weight of his weapons encouraged him, and he felt comforted by their presence. He remembered what he had said about the keyblade before leaving the Pride Lands… _"…As long as the keyblade stays with me, I'll just have to keep fighting…" _(A/N: he said something to that accord… the words may be screwed up…)

_But just how long is the keyblade going to stay with me? _He wondered as he raised the dark blade at his side and admired it. _And how long am I going to have to keep fighting? Will it ever end?!_

Being attacked by the heartless again was… disheartening to say the least. "Maybe… maybe it won't ever end… Maybe, as long as there is darkness in people's hearts, there will always be a war to fight…" he relinquished out loud. "Maybe I'll have to keep fighting this war for the rest of my miserable life…" The thought of never having a moment's peace, never living the life he had dreamed of, never being free from the burden of saving the world made him nauseous. "It's not fair!" he screamed into the night, "I never asked for all this! I thought this was finished! I was supposed to have a normal life now!!" Suddenly, the usual comfort the keyblade brought was replaced with the weight of a heavy burden as it rested across the back of his shoulders. He tightened his grip on the Oathkeeper's hilt as he thrust off his back and glared at it through foggy lenses. The small Thalassa shell charm dangled from it, glistening in the moonlight. He felt sick as he glared at the weapon. Releasing his frustrations, he screamed from the bottom of his lungs and hurled the keyblade into the bleak night, riding himself of the burden that came along with its power…

As the silver blade swirled through the night air, waves of images began flooding Sora's mind. Images that he did not recognize, but somehow he could not shake the feeling that they didn't happen in a dream…

_Disney Castle… Night… the Shadow… _

As the Oathkeeper rematerialized in his palm he stared at it, shocked. (A/N: Hello… Sora can't get rid of the keyblade _that _easily…) The images immediately stopped their barrage and he stood against the stone wall, bewildered. He glared at the weapon and again threw it out the window into the darkness, this time with more force.

As soon as the Oathkeeper left his fingertips, more haunting visions intruded his head and he grasp his temples in pain. The images boring into his skull brought him to his knees and he fought the tears that were creeping into his eyes.

_Black blood… Darkness… Kairi… _

_Kairi Kairi Kairi… _Tears streamed down his cheeks as her face circled around the images in his head. The nausea in his stomach intensified to the point he thought he might be sick. "Kairi… No…" he moaned through clenched teeth as the images halted with the return of the Oathkeeper.

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Kairi awoke with a start. She sighed as she rolled over, careful not to fall off the narrow sofa. The fire still burning nearby bathed the room in a soft orange glow and she could easily make out the outline of Sora lying under the thick blankets below her. A slight smile worked across her face as she thought about what had happened between them earlier. Well… _almost _happened between them. She giggled quietly as she recalled Sora's expression when Cid and the others had barged in on them. _Thank the heavens they couldn't see anything from their vantage point… _She knew that they would never let Sora, or her for that matter, live that one down…

The rustling of blankets startled her and she realized that Sora was sighing into his pillow and mumbling incoherently. "Sora?" she whispered softly, "Are… are you awake?"

Sora moaned as he sat up and peered through the dimness at Kairi, "Yeah Kai… I'm up. Sorry if I woke you. Can't sleep…"

"I was awake already, too. What's wrong?" she asked as she propped herself up on her elbow.

"Kairi… can I ask you something?" Through the glow of the furnace, she could see Sora's face was set in a serious expression as he looked her in the eyes.

"Of course Sora… What is it?"

He took a deep breath and his eyes never left hers, "What _really _happened the other night in Disney Castle?"

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**A/N: **See GTA guy!! I told you there was a method to my madness… lol Gasp! Sora didn't get to kiss Kairi! He's sick of the burden of the keyblade! What will happen if and when Kairi tells him what really happened? And why aren't the heartless after Sora anymore?

All this and more to be revealed… (laughs evilly)


	14. Parallel

**A/N: **Ok, the first part is obviously Riku's POV and it's loosely based on the song, "Crawling in the dark" by Hoobastank… It really is the perfect song for him: )

Parallel

_**Crawling in the dark. Alone. Reaching… for something… anything… Light. Freedom. Love… **_

Riku glared through the brilliance of the purest white light he had ever been in contact with… _Not much longer now… Soon, I can go home. And this will all be over… _

He shielded his eyes from the radiance and as he stepped towards the tall white doors he could swear that he felt the darkness in his heart recede and cower from the extreme purity. He smiled unknowingly as images of his home, his friends, and his future flashed before his eyes. How long had it been since he had smiled? Days? Weeks? Months? He couldn't remember the last time he felt so at peace and so… right. His journey, his story, ended here… at the Door to Light.

For so long he had been crawling in darkness, lost in a sea of nothingness. His heart torn in half by the forces of light and dark, caught in the middle of a seemingly endless battle between good and evil. His heart had led him through the battle, through the darkness… his eyes had been of no use to him, only deceiving his heart and tricking his mind. But as he stood in the radiance pouring from the doors in front of him his heart sang and he smiled. Finally he could be at peace… Finally he could be free of his darkness… But as he stepped towards the light… towards his freedom… he felt a tug at his heart and a small voice whispered indefinitely, _Not yet… Your journey is not yet finished… This story has not yet ended… Sora needs you… Go to him… _

He frowned as tears clouded his aquamarine eyes and he turned around as the door slowly closed behind, the pure brilliance of his freedom escaping him. "Freedom will have to wait…"

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It wasn't until Donald saw the first star vanish in front of him that he finally understood the King's urgency. His skepticism, however, was still nagging at the back of his skull as he, Goofy, and the King bounced from world to world, once again sealing keyholes as the King looked for something. More than once, Donald had eagerly asked His Majesty what it was they were searching for… But each time his questions were met with the same vague answer, "Light…"

"Light?" he squawked in return. Then the King would nod solemnly and stare off vacantly for several minutes. Donald had the strange suspicion the King was hiding something, but he knew better than to probe any further. Goofy shared his wariness, but nonetheless, they continued to seal keyholes and search for… light. Donald couldn't help but think about Sora and his friends and he worried that whatever it was that was once again threatening the worlds… it was putting Sora in danger.

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"Kairi?" Sora sat motionless in the floor, watching Kairi intently as her mind scrambled for the right words. "Kairi… I have to know what really happened."

She sighed heavily, defeated. Suddenly her lie seemed like the weight of the world hanging over her head and she felt ashamed. Ashamed that she would ever lie or keep anything from Sora and ashamed to admit that she had almost killed him to protect herself from his possession with darkness. Her heart wrenched between hurting Sora and lying again. "Sora, you… you weren't yourself… You were possessed… It wasn't you!"

She looked up, expecting to see confusion painted across Sora's face. However, his face was a blank canvas… showing no emotion, nothing… "I hurt you…" he whispered flatly. "I… I hurt you…" he repeated, "Didn't I?"

Tears pooled in her eyes as she pleaded with him, "Sora you didn't hurt me… Please understand… It wasn't you. It was…" she shuddered as images replayed in her head of the dreadful night, "It was… something else."

"I… I hurt you…" Sora grimaced at the thought and the images that had pooled in his head on the Bailey suddenly replayed, more vivid… Almost real… _Her smell… The sound of her heart, calling him… The warmth of her blood on his hands… her blood on his hands… _"Oh God!" he buried his face in his hands, fighting back the tears that his eyes threatened to shed.

"Sora…" Kairi left her spot on the couch and kneeled down beside him, wrapping her arms around him in a comforting effort. "It wasn't you…"

Sora grit his teeth and inhaled deeply as he slowly shook his head. Suddenly, he felt imprisoned by Kairi's comforting embrace and he quickly stood up. "Don't you get it!?" he outburst, pain laced in his words. "I can't stay here… I can't do this!"

"What… what are you talking about, Sora?" Kairi stood up next to him, though… she feared she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"I… I have to go…" Sora answered frantically, "I can't stay here… I have to go." He began searching for his bags as Kairi helplessly watched his mania through the tears blurring her vision.

"Sora…"

"Me being here, with you… I can't do it!! I'm putting you in danger, and I ever did anything to you, I would never forgive myself! I can't stay here, Kairi!" he repeated. He turned to face her, his face softening at her frightened appearance and the tears trailing slowly down her cheeks. Suddenly more images haunted his mind, ones that were not previously revealed… _Weakness… Dying… Light… _

He stared blankly at her, the silence hanging between them was thick and it pressed against them fiercely. "You… you won." He whispered emotionlessly.

She closed her eyes and nodded her head somberly, tears still flowing from underneath her closed eyelids. She opened her mouth to respond, but her lack of words outweighed her will to answer and she pursed her lips and swallowed hard against the lump in her throat.

He sighed as he dropped his bags, "Why didn't you tell me, Kairi?" he asked softly.

She opened her eyes and met his sad cerulean stare, "Sora, I just don't want you to get hurt…" she repeated her words from earlier. "I couldn't bear to lay anymore guilt on your heart…" she trailed off as she wiped her tears from her cheeks.

"Kairi…" he replied softly as he slowly shortened the distance between them and gently wrapped his arms around her petite frame, "I would never forgive myself if I hurt you…" _again… _he finished mentally.

She melted into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist as she buried her face in his chest. "I know…"

"If you keep things like this from me…" he gently ran his fingers through the back of her hair as he spoke softly in her ear, "I won't know how to stop myself… What if it happened again?"

She nodded understandingly, unable to respond vocally.

"I promise I'll come back, Kai." He gently pulled out of the embrace and ran both thumbs under her eyes to wipe the tears from her cheeks. He smiled his signature goofy grin and she couldn't help it when her lips curled into a warm smile.

"I know you will Sora." She answered quietly as she looked into his eyes.

"What? Leaving so soon…" for the second time that night, the slamming of the front door shattered their tender moment and an all-too-familiar voice chuckled. "And I just got here!"

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**A/N: **Man! What does that make, like 3 cliffhangers in a row now??? I am evil!! lol But I've updated like everyday for the past 3 updates too… so I don't want any bitching about being left wondering whose voice interrupted the kodak moment!! Lol (As if you don't already know….) ; )

Sadly, the reviews have been a little lacking lately… could be because I'm not giving you guys time to review one chap before I post the next. Regardless, I am a little perturbed about it!! SO REVIEW PLEASE!!!!


	15. Bittersweet Reunions

**A/N: **Ok, so I wasn't planning on updating today… I was planning on spending the day at the pool soaking up some sun… but it's raining… blah! So here I am…

BTW, this chapter sucks pretty bad, sorry. Promise the next will be better: )

Bittersweet Reunions

Sora stared… it was all he could do. His voice was lost to him, his legs felt like jello, and all he could do was stare with cloudy sapphire eyes at the intruder still standing casually on the opposite side of the room. Kairi was the one who finally broke the awkward silence occupying the space between the trio.

"Riku!" she darted across the room and threw her arms around him in an earnest hug, leaving a bewildered keyblade master still gawking dumbfounded. "What are you doing here?!"

Riku smiled, despite himself, and returned Kairi's embrace. "You know I can't trust you guys too long without me." He answered sarcastically. "What… no welcome from the Keyblade Master?" He pulled out of Kairi's arms and strode over to where Sora was still standing with a blank expression shrouding any emotions currently occupying him. "Not happy to see me?"

"Riku…" Sora finally managed to regain his vocal abilities, but his voice was barely above a whisper and laced with hesitancy. "What… How…"

Riku simply put one hand on Sora's shoulder and looked at him with solemn aquamarine eyes, "Sora… we need to talk."

Sora's demeanor suddenly changed as a pierced brow and angry glare replaced his previously distant stare. His stature stiffened as he shrugged Riku's hand off his shoulder. "You left!" he retorted forcefully. "How could you just leave like that!? Without even telling me!! I needed you Riku, and you left!"

Riku sighed as he returned Sora's angry glare through long silver bangs, cold emerald meeting cloudy sapphire, "Look Sora, I…"

"No! You look!" Sora interrupted, his index finger jabbing into Riku's chest. "I'm sick of your overdramatic, drama queen, 'let's go see other worlds' bull shit! I looked for you and Kairi for two years, and once we're finally back together you fucking leave??!!"

"Sora!" Kairi scolded as she crossed the room to stand beside Riku. "Give him a break! He came back didn't he?!"

Riku didn't give Sora a chance to answer as he grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him towards the door, "I'm serious Sora. We need to talk."

Sora struggled against Riku's grasp, but despite his recent growth spurt and muscular frame that finally rivaled Riku's, Riku was still taller and stronger. "Get off me!"

Riku glanced behind him at Kairi as he shoved Sora out the front door, "Sorry Kai, this is man talk. We'll be back in a second."

Kairi nodded understandingly, but internally rolled her eyes. '_Man talk'? He can't be serious…_

Sora grunted and fell against the side wall as Riku finally released his grasp. He crossed his arms across his chest defiantly and sank against the wall so that he was sitting on the ground leaning against the cool cobblestones.

"Sora, look…" Riku started as he turned his back to his friend and sat down on the steps just outside the front door. "I'm sorry…" he mumbled.

Sora rolled his eyes, "Sorry for what?" he spat out.

"I'm sorry for leaving you guys again… but I had to." He replied softly. "The… darkness…was…" he trailed off as he shook his head and smirked, "Never mind, I wouldn't expect you to understand."

Sora suddenly felt lower than snail… and slimy as one at that. "Riku…" His face softened into a quiet frown and he moved his position to occupy the vacant space beside Riku on the steps. "I'm… I'm sorry too. I just got so mad when you left… and then things started happening. I thought… I thought you could help, and I was mad that you weren't there to…" Sora suddenly realized that he had unknowingly been blaming Riku for the dark changes that had taken place in his heart over the past six months. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

Riku shifted uncomfortably, he wasn't one for apologies and lengthy 'kiss-and-make-up' moments. (A/N: and NO! this is not a yaoi, Sora and Riku are not gay!) Truthfully, neither was Sora and they both sat awkwardly staring into the dark courtyard in front of them that was the Burrough.

Riku replayed Sora's words in his head and suddenly, "Wait… what do you mean 'things started happening'?"

"Oh… um…" Sora gulped as he tried to find the words to tell Riku that he was slowly and indefinitely being possessed by darkness, that he had tried to kill Kairi the other night, and that he was loosing the battle between light and darkness. He sighed defeated, and decided that actions spoke louder than words. He quietly stood up and willed the darkness to pool in his left palm.

Riku's eyes widened as the dark pooling mass shaped itself into the Keyblade of Hearts. He shuddered as he ran his eyes from the hilt to the tip of the long black blade. "Where… where did you get that?" he stammered.

Sora sighed as he sat back down and outstretched the dark keyblade in front of them. "I don't really know. I was trying to summon the Oblivion, and this is what I ended up with instead."

"Sora…" Riku's voice was stern as he glared at the black blade, "What the hell has been going on since I left…"

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Kairi's mind wandered aimlessly as she peered quietly though the dark shades covering the front windows of the small room. Riku and Sora were sitting on the short steps just outside, both with somber faces and serious features. She didn't consider herself to be spying, because although she could only make out the occasional word… "Darkness…" "Hearts…" "Kairi…" …it was obvious what they were talking about. She hoped against all odds that Riku would convince Sora not to go, to stay here in Radiant Garden with the two of them so they could sort this mess out together, like they had always done.

She had a deep suspicion, though, that nothing would keep Sora from leaving… not even Riku… However, her optimism got the best of her as she convinced herself that Sora had always looked up to Riku, and maybe he would stay if Riku thought it was best. She made a mental note to get her own private talk with Riku before sunrise…

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Riku sat in silence for almost a full minute after Sora finished filling him on the past six months, leaving out no gory details or unwanted memories. "I guess… you do understand…" he finally said flatly.

Sora sighed heavily as he nodded his response. "Riku… what do I do? Tell me what to do!"

Riku shrugged, "I think… I think your initial reaction of leaving, might not be a bad idea… I think that Kairi would understand. But…" he stood up and ran his fingers through his long silver hair as the night wind rustled through it. "I think I should go with you…"

"And just leave Kairi here by herself?!" Sora stood up beside him, dismissing the dark keyblade in a flash of blackness. "No way! Who would look out for her? Protect her?!"

"Well! What do you suggest Sora?! I can't let you go by yourself! Who knows what would happen to you!" Riku replied shortly, "And don't give that pathetic martyr 'I can handle it myself' bull shit… You know better!" Sora sulked… "Besides… she's not the damsel-in-distress you think she is."

Sora rolled his eyes and laughed, "Yeah! I know… she almost killed me! Remember?"

Riku laughed as he smacked Sora across the back of the head, "Come on… I think your 'damsel-in-distress' is probably getting tired of watching us through that window over there."

Sora nodded and turned to open the door. Suddenly, Riku reached an arm out in front of him, stopping him from opening the door. "You feel that?"

Sora stiffened as he narrowed his eyes and the stench of darkness invaded his nostrils. "Heartless," he acknowledged in a monotone.

"No… stronger," Riku scowled as a flash of light materialized into the Way to Dawn at his side.

Sora grunted in passive agreement as he summoned his weapons, "Let's go!"

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**A/N: **I definitely plan on living up to my new title as the Queen of Cliffhangers! So get used to it! lol

I know this chap was pretty dull, and short, and sucky… but it's a filler! It's supposed to be dull, and short, and sucky! I promise more action in my next update!!! Sora and Riku will be kicking ass and taking names!


	16. Never Again

**A/N: **Here it is, just like I promised… a better chapter! Who could ask for more?? Who, I tell you: )

Never Again

It wasn't until Sora saw Kairi's unconscious body sprawled out on the floor that he understood just how powerful his darkness was. It flowed through his veins like blood, giving him life and supplying his muscles with energy and strength. The fire of hatred fueling in his eyes did not blur his vision of the sneering black grin that was fixated on him from across the room. Piercing yellow eyes targeted at unrelenting blue.

It wasn't until Riku saw the rage and mania burning in Sora's clouded eyes that he understood the amount of power Sora's shadow had over him. Funny… how one can easily sense a moment in time when life is about to dramatically change… As Riku watched Sora's crazed pupils follow the silhouette's every move, he realized that he could tangibly feel the surges of raw power emanating from Sora's body. It was a sensation that was not unfamiliar to him. The power of darkness…

Sora growled audibly as he glared at the smoky imprint of his own image, "Get away from her." His voice laced with hatred and rage, his icy words dripping with resentment as they hung in the silence that followed.

It was all Riku could do to keep the chills running down his spine from manifesting themselves on his pale skin. Sora's voice had changed. No longer was it squeaky with pubescent aging or unsure and wavering; as he spoke deliberately, his words deepened with authority and resounded with assertion. Riku associated his voice with that of power and rank.

Sora gripped his weapons at his side, his knuckles white with anticipation. His senses heightened to the point that he could feel the vibrations of Riku's heartbeat through the floor boards, he could hear the faint ragged breaths escaping Kairi's lips on the opposite side of the room, and he could smell the stench of the shadow's breath as it breathed in even slow exhalations. "I said, get away from her!"

Before Riku had a chance to react, Sora was on the opposite side of the room, digging his two keyblades into the shadow in rapid continuous blows. Unrelenting steel meeting smoky skin in merciless hits and successive combos. Each strike stronger than the last as they grew in accuracy and intensity. _He's gotten stronger…_

Sora easily dodged the shadow's long dark claws with a back flip, the cold black fingers narrowly missing the flesh of his abdomen. As he felt the solidness of the ground reconnect with his feet, he lunged back with the Oathkeeper, sending the figure several feet into the air. As the shadow crashed against the far wall, Sora turned to face Riku, his eyes still ablaze with rage, the inferno of hatred not yet extinguished.

Riku stared incredulously at the bloodlust craze still fueling in Sora's anguished face. Suddenly, he felt his heartbeat accelerate and fear flash in his aquamarine eyes. _He's gotten a lot stronger…_The fear soon dissipated as Sora stared back with something else hidden in his glazed over expression… concern.

"Riku!" Sora commanded as the shadow raced towards him on all fours, "Get Kairi out of here!"

Riku nodded assuredly, but before he could take a step, blackness engulfed him. Swarms of heartless crawled from the walls… the floorboards… the ceiling… pulling him down, sinking into the black claws of shadows… hundreds of yellow eyes the only break in the bleakness around him. He lashed out at the hoards of heartless, the Way to Dawn ripping through the sea of black swallowing him, only to have more repopulate from the smoky ashes of fallen shadows. He peered though the mass of enemies and could barely make out the pink outline of Kairi still collapsed several feet away from him. Sora was nowhere to been seen.

"Sora!" he yelled as his blade pierced through the heartless effortlessly, trekking through the waist-deep mass towards Kairi. "Sora! Where are you?!" Frustration began to set in as the nuisance of the shadows obstructed his view, he growled as he conjured a dark aura, repelling the heartless in all directions.

As Riku neared Kairi's lifeless body, the heartless became unrelenting, lashing out at him, desperately trying to deter him from her. He fought back against the magnitude of shadows, dispelling their numbers greater with each slice of his blade. He finally reached her side, and in one fluid motion he swooped her up over his shoulder, still blocking clumsy attacks from the surrounding heartless.

Sora finally managed to break from the mountain of shadows that had encased him. He swung both keyblades furiously, each hit colliding with black flesh and slaughtering it to smoke. His strength had easily doubled since his last encounter with shadows, and all it took was one strike with his mighty blades to send them to an ashy grave.

He heard the spell before he felt it… "Stop!" Encased in his own rigidity, Sora stood helplessly with the motionless heartless surrounding him, his eyes stared straight ahead in determination, his keyblades both stretching out skillfully in the act of vanquishing his foes. All he could do was breath slow even breaths and plan his next move.

Riku, too, stood static on the other side of the sea of heartless. In reality only several feet from Sora's still frozen form. Kairi still slung over his shoulder lifelessly, his grip on the back of her limp legs tight as he had been fighting his way to the door. His breaths came out in forced exhalations as he stood frozen in time, awaiting the next move of the spell-caster.

"_Enough!" _Riku cringed at the booming voice reverberating off his skull and deafening his ears. A voice, to his dismay, that sounded painfully like the one Sora had used earlier.

Sora stood, no emotion betraying him in his stationary eyes as his shadowed nemesis crept around the pillars of heartless, pushing some over in disdain leaving long vines of smoke as they crashed to the ground in pieces and disintegrated. _"My my Sora… you've gotten stronger since our last midnight rendezvous… I'd say you've yielded to the darkness quite nicely." _

Sora's inaudible hiss went unnoticed as a long smoky claw sliced along his neck, leaving no trace of injury as the blood in his veins temporarily ceased running. _"Trying to save your little princess are we?" _ Suddenly the fingers resting on his shoulders snapped in his ear, sending the hoards of heartless to explode into a black fog that lay thick in room, shrouding Sora's vision of the dark figure still sing-songing in his head. _"I expected her to be finished by now! But no matter… we can easily take care of that, can't we?" _As the fog dissipated around him, Sora's eyes focused on the yellow stare only inches from his face, _"Once she's out of the picture, there will be nothing hindering you from succumbing completely to darkness. My little hostile takeover the other night might have been a complete failure…"_ the shadow sneered at Kairi's frozen form, _"But this time… that little bitch won't get the opportunity to use that confounded light spell." _

The tingling sensation in Riku's fingertips foretold of inevitable return of mobility, but it was not enough to keep his tight grasp on Kairi as she was yanked from his statue-like hold. He winced internally as the shadow chuckled evilly while he drug Kairi's limp body over to Sora, _"I see you brought another friend along… No matter, I can see he has already given in to darkness." _

The warm blood trickling from Sora's neck went unseen as the shadow dumped Kairi at Sora's feet, _"So… Sora…" _He crossed his long smoky arms across his heartless chest and paced back and forth in front of the two, gesturing wildly. _"Obviously my lackeys… those, infernal heartless… were of no use in capturing your little girlfriend. Yeah, sorry to ruin your little ice-cream date…" _he smirked sarcastically.

Sora grit his teeth as he stood motionless, deciding his next move. _What do I do? How do I get rid of him? Killing him only makes him stronger… or worse, makes me stronger… _Suddenly, the images of Kairi and her light spell recaptured his thoughts. A twinkle reached Sora's eyes as he slowly moved his fingers to the edge of his pocket and felt the bulge of the light orb from the King. _I know it probably won't permanently destroy it, but maybe it will at least dispel it for awhile… _

The shadow continued its monologue, not noticing Sora's fingers creeping into his pocket and wrapping around its contents. _"…but after tonight it will all be clear, my dear boy." _

Riku watched helplessly as the dark shadowy figure grabbed Kairi under the arms and heaved her to her feet in front of Sora, its long black claws slicing superficially across Kairi's slender neck as it glared at Sora with merciless yellow eyes. As Riku fought against the hold of the spell, Sora broke free of his rigidity, pulling something from his pocket, the clatter of his keyblades crashing to the floor ringing throughout the room.

A white hot light flooded the room, its brilliance blinding any attempt from Riku to stare through it. He shut his eyes harshly as his muscles regained their function, and he collapsed against the floorboards. The shrill screams piercing his eardrums was evidence of the shadow's demise as the presence of sinister darkness disintegrated around him. With it, Riku could feel the darkness peeling from his own heart, falling in shreds through the floorboards as he kneeled in the light's warmth. The light was inviting and pure… _Just like the Door to Light… _he thought as the radiance receded to dim glow.

Sora peered through the haze the light had burned into his pupils as he searched for any sign of the shadow's retreat. Encouraged by the absence of the shadow he shoved the orb back in his pocket and stepped forward to Kairi's side, picking up her lithe frame in his arms. "Riku!" he called out as he hurriedly crossed the room to lay her on the sofa, "Get me a potion!" He gently cradled her head while he checked her pulse on her neck, warm sticky blood smearing across his fingers. Her pulse was weak and thready…

Riku snapped out of his trance and rushed to Sora's side, "I don't have any, Sora!" he frantically searched through his pockets eager to find any hint of content. "Use a spell!"

Sora nodded and summoned the Oathkeeper, holding it high over his head, "Heal!" An eerie green glow encased Kairi's lifeless body and soon dissolved into her ashen skin. Sora quickly kneeled at her side, checking her pulse again with his bloodstained hands. Palpable, but still weak… "Riku! My bag… get a potion out of my bag!"

"Right," Riku ran to retrieve Sora's bag, hastily pulling out its contents as he crossed the room. "Here!" he eagerly pulled out a small green bottle, "I think it's the last one…"

Sora nodded acknowledgment and carefully pulled Kairi into a sitting position. He sat down on the couch behind her and pulled her against his chest, allowing her head to rest on his shoulder. He gently pried open her lips and nodded to Riku to pour in the potion. The green liquid filled her mouth and Sora massaged her throat and jaw to get her to swallow it.

"Think that will be enough?" Sora asked as he checked her pulse a third time. Stronger…

"It will have to be, Sora…" Riku replied solemnly, holding the empty bottle upside down.

Sora inhaled deeply as he relaxed into the sofa, Kairi still cradled in his arms. "The shops open at 7… we can go get her some more potions then… I think she'll be okay until then." Sora could feel Kairi's shallow breaths deepen and he smiled as he softly kissed her forehead, "I'll never leave you again, Kai," he whispered in her ear. "I promise…"

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**A/N: **You have no idea how tempted I was to leave this one with a cliffhanger! Lol BUT! I was nice, so in return……REVIEW PLEASE!!! I need input! I crave it: )

BTW, "Fall Back" is still an awesome story! ; )


	17. Distance

Distance

**A/N: **The first part of this chapter doesn't give much to the story line from Sora's POV might be kind of confusing. It's mainly his thoughts on how to fix what's going with his darkness and all… If it confuses anyone let me know and I'll try to clear it up somehow… The italicized parts that are centered are phrases from the song "Saving Me" by Nickelback.

Disclaimer: I don't own the song or the characters… If I did, Nickelback would come back to Dallas again this summer!!!!

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"_I'll never leave you again Kai, I promise…"_

**And yet… he **_**had**_** left, in all senses of the word he had **_**left**_**. Maybe not physically… but emotionally, Sora was gone… **

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As Sora lay on the sofa that night, Kairi's limp body cushioned against his chest, his arms wrapped around her slender waist protectively, the dim glow of the fire light warming his face, he couldn't help but wonder…

"Why is this happening to me…" he whispered to no one in particular, voice cracking from lack of sleep. So much weight to bear on young shoulders… the burden of saving the world… _but who was going to save him… _

_---------_

_Say it for me, Say it to me_

_And I'll leave this life behind me_

_Say it if it's worth saving me_

_---------_

Light. Obviously, it was his escape from darkness. His only savior from being swallowed entirely by the darkness eating away at his heart… _But what __**is **__light?_

Sora shuddered as the shadow's words invaded his thoughts… _Once she's out of the picture, there will be nothing hindering you from succumbing completely to darkness._

"Kairi…" he whispered hoarsely as he tightened his grip around her sleeping form. Kairi was his light, she always had been… Being a Princess of Heart, she had no darkness in her heart… Only light. Pure and clean light. Untainted and innocent.

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_All I need is you,_

_Come please I'm calling_

_And oh, I scream for you,_

_Hurry I'm falling_

_---------_

_**The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes… **_He had never understood those mysterious words spoken over two and half years ago by unseen lips. Until now, they had never made sense. Until now…

The closer he was to Kairi… the more dangerous his darkness became… The closer he was to her, the more dangerous _he _became. Although, if he left, her demise was inevitable… Nothing would stop his shadow from destroying her, and _that _was something he would **never** let happen.

So distance… distance was his only option. Close enough to keep a watchful eye on her without endangering her. Distance would save her from himself.

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Kairi groaned into the pillow she was sleeping on, the morning light shining through the small windows warming her skin. The soft fabric of the sofa cushioning her as she wearily opened her eyes. She clutched the side of the sofa as she sat up, her mind fuzzy, unable to recall when and how she got here. The last thing she remembered was Riku… Riku was talking to Sora…

"Sora!" she gasped as she frantically surveyed the room, sadly acknowledging her solitude. "No… No no no no..." she moaned as she hauled herself to her feet, stumbling and woozy. Her head spun and she grabbed at her temples in an effort to stop the room from spinning."He must be here… he can't be gone…"

Her eyes widened as she felt the dry blood crusted at her hairline and her hands slid down the sides of her neck, fingers grazing across cotton bandaging taped to the front of her throat. "Wha…" she frantically pulled at the dressing. Tears pooled at the corners of her cerulean eyes as she fingered the clean shallow cut.

Shallow breaths struggled to fill her lungs as she reeled in pain, her knees weak, her brow sweaty. She clutched the sofa arm next to her, digging her fingernails into the plush fabric, trying to ward off the blackness of unconsciousness threatening the corners of her vision.

"Kairi!"

As her vision faded, she felt strong arms support her back into the sofa. Her head light, her legs weak, she relaxed into the cushions, grateful for their comfort.

"Here, drink this…"

She scowled at the bitter liquid invading her lips, but drank it eagerly, anxious for the effects of the potion to ground her back to reality. As the pain and dizziness subsided she felt cool hands brushing the hair from her face. She opened her eyes… clear blue meeting concerned aquamarine.

"Riku…" she smiled weakly. "Thanks."

"Kai, just relax. I'm going to go get a cool cloth, you're burning up." As he turned to retrieve said cloth, she grabbed at his shirt desperately.

"Sora… Where's Sora?" she stared at him, her face distorted in apprehension, pleading with Riku.

He sighed and sat on the sofa beside her. His expression hidden behind a mass of silver as he struggled with words… "Kairi…"

"Riku?" she felt tears pooling in her eyes and let them slide down her cheeks. Her voice shaky, "Riku… where is he? Tell me."

"Kairi, he's here… but…" Riku hated the words he knew he had to say. Hated how they sounded in his head, how they felt on his tongue, and how he knew they would cut her. He hated having to break her heart… but he had no choice, he had promised Sora…. As he looked at her pleading eyes, he closed his, "He… he doesn't want to see you."

"Wha…" Kairi swallowed the lump in her throat, "What do you mean he doesn't want to see me?"

Riku ran his fingers through his hair as he stood up, "Kairi… he just… he needs… he…" Riku sighed, he had never been one at a loss for words. But when it came to breaking Kairi's heart, he couldn't find the words to do it… Suddenly, he bent down and wrapped her into a fierce hug, "Kai, just forget about him. Okay? He… he has duties he can't ignore," he whispered softly into her hair, wishing he could take the pain he knew she was feeling and burden his own heart with it. "He just doesn't want to see you…" he repeated. "He… he…. He doesn't love you…" Riku's voice was barely audible, barely above whisper. Yet they rang in Kairi's eardrums as if he had shouted them.

Kairi felt numb. Unable to feel the warmth of the wet hot tears trailing down her face and soaking into Riku's shirt. "I don't believe you," she whispered hoarsely, barely audible if Riku's ear hadn't been so close to her mouth. Suddenly his embrace felt imprisoning, trapping her from Sora, keeping her from him. Her face anguished with pain, she pushed against his chest forcefully, "I don't believe you!" she said vehemently as Riku stumbled backwards, shocked. "You're lying Riku… Where is he?! Where is Sora?!" he voice raising with each syllable until she was shouting, tears still streaming down her face, her body shaking, her heart breaking.

Riku slowly shook his head, "Kairi…"

"WHERE IS HE??!"

Riku slowly met her fierce azure glare and as she saw the sorrow veiled in his eyes, her face softened. "Kairi… he's with Merlin at the Bailey. Training…"

Before he could stop her, Kairi was sprinting out the front door, leaving a trail of tears in her wake.

Riku sighed as he sank into the chair behind him, "Sora… try to make it easy on her…"

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"N-now Sora… T-to use Darkness as a weapon you have to be careful… Who is controlling who? Eh?" Merlin stuttered as Sora tried his best to concentrate on what the old wizard was teaching. Obviously it was important, but his mind kept going back to Kairi…

"S-Sora? My boy! Are you listening?"

"Huh? Oh yeah… Sorry… Um… so to tap into darkness I have to keep my light separate… so I don't get swallowed?" Sora replied. _My light… Kairi…_

"Yes! T-that's it! We must work on putting up a barrier in your heart. So to keep your light in your heart safe from the darkness in your heart…"

"A barrier…" Sora repeated sadly. "To keep my light safe…"

"Riku should be of great help in building a barrier in your heart, since he has done the same once before in his own heart..." Merlin reasoned, more to himself than to Sora as he paced back and forth gesturing wildly.

Sora nodded as he remembered his conversation with Riku only an hour ago…

-------------------_FLASHBACK--------------_

"_Riku… I need to talk you…." Sora carefully situated Kairi back onto the sofa as he eased out from behind her, his eyes sore with lack of sleep, his muscles stiff from supporting her for the past few hours. The morning sun beaming through the small windows revealed the sunrise outside, not long until the shops would open in the market._

_Riku nodded as he followed Sora outside quietly, careful not to wake the sleeping princess. "What's up Sora?" he finally asked when they made it outside. _

"_Riku…" Sora nervously rubbed at the back of his neck. "I need… I need you to lie… to Kairi." _

_Riku couldn't hide the confusion in his brow as he stared at his best friend. "What are you talking about Sora?" _

"_The only way to keep Kairi safe is for me to leave… But if I leave my shadow will surely kill her… So…" Sora sighed, unbelieving the words he was about to say. "I need you to tell Kairi that… that I don't love her." _

"_What? Are you sure?" Riku couldn't believe what he was hearing._

"_It's the only way… I have to distance myself from her. I can't do that without breaking her heart… and I can't bear to tell her myself." Tears pooled in the corners of his eyes and he whipped at them furiously. "It's the only way…" He repeated softly. The aching in his chest was immense, his heart stiffly beating in a painful slow rhythm… Who would have thought that a broken heart literally hurt… _

_Riku nodded sadly as he put a reassuring hand on Sora's shoulder. "Sora, you know I'll do anything you need me to… But this isn't going to be easy..."_

"_I know…" Sora responded quietly. _

"…_on either of you." Riku finished as he squeezed Sora's shoulder. "I'm sorry man…"_

"_Me too…" Sora sighed as he started walking towards the bailey. "I'm going to meet Merlin, I need to talk to him about some training… You should go to the market and get some more potions for Kairi." _

_Riku nodded as he started towards the market streets._

"_Riku?" Sora stopped without turning around. His shoulders were shaking and although Riku couldn't see the tears, he could hear them in Sora's voice. "I love her… you know?" his voice cracked and his head hung low. _

"_I know man…" Riku replied as he stared at Sora's back. "I know…"_

_---------------------END FLASHBACK-----------------_

"…so I think for n-now we just need to work on some of your magic. Until we have R-Riku here to help, that is."

Sora nodded, "Yeah… okay…"

"My boy… are you alright?" Merlin asked, "You seem a million miles away."

Sora shook his head, trying to refocus. "Yeah, yeah… I'm fine," he answered as he put on his best fake smile. Which would have been much more convincing if it weren't for a certain Princess of Heart sprinting towards him, an air of sorrow surrounding her, her face plastered with tears.

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**A/N: **Sora's an idiot… (sigh) REVIEW!!!


	18. Cut

**A/N: **I fear that my readers are getting LAZY! Gr… Lack of reviews tells me one of two things: (1) Everyone's just studying _really really _hard for their finals, and don't have time to submit a little FEEDBACK! Or… (2) The story sucks and no one finishes the chapter once they start it… (which I wouldn't know that it sucks because no one reviews to tell me!) ….Me, being the pessimist that I am, would naturally assume the latter. Which depresses me to no end, since I am putting my heart and soul into this fic: (

That being said… hugs and kisses to those diligent readers who do review!! (you know who you are) You guys are awesome! ; )

Oh, and BTW… when I first posted the last chapter, I forgot to add the whole "tell Kairi I don't love her" thing in Kairi and Riku's conversation… So I went back and added it:

"_He… he…. He doesn't love you…" Riku's voice was barely audible, barely above whisper. Yet they rang in Kairi's eardrums as if he had shouted them. _

Gasp! I know! How could I leave out such an important part of story!! I dunno…. I just did… sorry: )

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Cut

_He doesn't love you… _Riku's words stung. No… not _stung. _A bee stings, a paper cut stings… Those words, they CUT. Deep. They shot to her core and ripped at her heart, leaving long ugly scars in their wake to ooze with dejection and despondency. The pain in her chest caused by those words was insurmountable and it blurred her vision with numb tears as she tripped up the long flight of stairs leading to the Bailey.

The only solace she found… the only sliver of hope still flickering in the depths of her bleakness… was the fact that those words had not come from _his _lips. Those words, which stabbed her heart with rejection and abhorrence, had no viability until she heard them from _him. _As she rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, the flicker of hope burned a little brighter at the sight of his smile. …_just seeing Sora smile had always been enough to make her happy… _She almost laughed at the absurdity of the whole thing, excusing it as just a crazy dream, a nightmare of sorts…

But as she neared him, the fake grin plastered across his face vanished, and she instantly felt the flame dimming in despair. She stood, now only a few feet away from him, shaking involuntarily as silent tears trailed down her chapped face, her arms hugging her chest as the slight wind whipped her hair about in a crimson halo around her head. She had every intention of speaking, shouting, sobbing, doing something! But the unmistakable sour expression on Sora's face left her numb, unable to move.

Sora stared at her, anguished. Struggling to hide his own heartache as his stormy eyes met hers. He stood silent, afraid to speak. Inside he was screaming, calling to her, holding her… But the pain written into her face was almost tangible, pain that he caused, and he stood silent. Awaiting her response…

"Sora…" her voice shook, and she vigorously wiped at her face with her hands as she tried to steady her breathing. "Is it true?"

Sora had rehearsed a hundred times what he was going to say when she got here, now the words were jumbled up in his head and they left a bitter taste in his mouth as he replied… "Kairi… I can't do this. I have to stop fooling myself, and you. I'm the Keyblade Master! I have duties I have to uphold… like protecting the realm of Light… and protecting you…" The words were sloppy on his tongue and they seemed to fall flat off of his lips as he attempted to put them into sentences that made sense.

"Is that what this is about?! _Protecting_ me?!" she shot back, her voice strengthening. "What makes you think I need protection Sora? I don't want _protection._" The tears behind her eyes dried in the wind as she stared at him in disbelief.

"Kairi, it's not just that…"

"Well then, what is it?" she asked shortly.

"I just don't feel that way about you! Okay!" he answered curtly, averting his eyes to the cobblestones under his feet as he shifted in his shoes uncomfortably.

The flicker extinguished and the initial cut deepened. Deepened to the point Kairi thought her heart might literally break into shards in her chest. She inhaled deeply, bearing the brunt of her pain as she closed the space between them, her face on inches from his downward gaze. "Look me in the eyes and say that…"

He slowly met her gaze, trying desperately to hide his heartbreak behind a stony expression. "I. Don't. Love. You."

And Kairi's heart shattered…

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_**The next few hours were a complete blur, nonexistent in Kairi's mind as she went through the motions of the day. The shards left of her broken heart rattled in her chest with each breath. **__**Her eyes dried up from hours of endless tears and after days of remorse and depression, she wondered if it was even possible to mend a broken heart. Seeing Sora only intensified the pain in her chest until **__**she felt nothing, numb to the world around her**__**. Leon and the gang tried desperately to reach out to her and provide some sort of comfort, but Riku was the only one she found any friendly support in.**_

And after a week of zombie-like stature and emotionless encounters, Riku had finally had enough...

_Bam. _

Kairi's eyes shot open with the slamming of the front door.

"Kairi, get up."

She noticed the early morning sun streaming through the windows, rolled her eyes and rolled over on the sofa. "Go away, it's too early…" she mumbled, pulling the covers up over her head. Only to have them yanked to her feet and a splash of cold water take their place.

"Riku! What the fuck?!" she sat up quickly, wiping the water from her eyes as she glared at him.

"Come on! Get up!" he replied, grabbing her elbow and pulling her to her feet.

She struggled against his grasp, "Riku, have you lost your mind?! What the hell are you doing?!"

He held his grip firmly and started pulling her towards the nearby bathroom. "I'm sick of you moping around. It's time for you to get on with your life, now come on!" He replied as he nudged her into the bathroom, "Take a shower, get dressed, and meet me outside when you're ready."

"Ready for wha—"

The slamming of the bathroom door cut off her question and she opened it and stuck her head out, "Riku! Ready for what?! Where are we going?"

This time, the slamming of the front door cut her off and she growled in frustration, "You're insane!! You know that?!" she screamed towards him and slammed the bathroom door shut.

An angry Cid popped his head out from behind a bedroom door, "WOULD YOU TWO SHUT THE HELL UP AND QUIT SLAMMING THE DAMN DOORS??!!" he hollered before sulking back to his bed.

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"So you told her?"

"Yeah, she should be taking a shower now…" Riku lazily sat down on the shallow steps, leaning back on his hands as he took in the early rays of the sunrise. "But remind me again, why the hell did I have to do this so early??"

"I just can't stand to see her like this anymore…" Sora answered, "It's killing me…"

"Killing _you_? How do you think _she_ feels?" Riku replied shortly. "She actually thinks that you don't love her."

"I know! That's what's killing me…" Sora shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned up against the stone wall adjacent to Riku. "I just need you to cheer her up…"

"And who's going to cheer you up?" Riku raised his eyebrows behind his silver bangs and eyed Sora questionably.

"I don't need anyone to cheer me up…" Sora answered flatly.

"Yeah, because you've just been 'Mr. Happy-Go-Lucky' for the past week, haven't you?" Riku smirked sarcastically.

"Look… All I care about is her right now. Okay?" Sora replied curtly. "Don't you worry your pretty little head off about me. I can take care of myself, pretty boy."

"_Pretty boy?"_ Riku stood up, rolling his eyes, "What the hell is _your_ problem…"

"Nothing. Look… just, try to cheer her up." Sora started off towards the Bailey. "I've got to go meet Merlin," he muttered as he drug his feet out of sight.

"Whatever." Riku waved his hand dismissively as the front door opened.

"Riku, what the hell is going on??" Kairi shut the front door behind her… quietly, so as not to piss off a certain blond mechanic.

Without turning around Riku grabbed her wrist and started pulling her towards the market, "Come on, we're going to go…" _Dammit, what is it girls like to do that cheers them up? _"…shopping…"

"_Shopping_?" Kairi asked derisively, "You want to take me _shopping_?"

"Yep. You got it Princess," he answered coolly. "We've got to get you some combat clothes."

"Okay, first of all, don't call me that," she retorted as she pulled her wrist from his grasp and stopped in the middle of the street. "And secondly, I know you better to know that you would never just up and decide to take me clothes shopping."

He stopped walking as well and grit his teeth in frustration. "Look…" he turned around and met her gaze, his face softening, "I just want to see you happy, Kairi…"

"And you think clothes shopping will make me happy…" she asked in a tone that said 'how-dumb-do-you-think-I-am'.

"Isn't that what girls like?" A grin began playing at Riku's mouth as he realized that this was Kairi he was talking about, not just any girl… "Sorry, Kai…" he laughed, "I guess I haven't seen you in a while… Kind of forget that you aren't like ordinary girls…"

"Oh?" she raised her eyebrows, "And just what kind of girl am I?"

"I didn't mean it as an insult, Kai. I'm just saying that we can do whatever you want to do… I don't mind…" he answered calmly as he started walking back towards the market again.

"Ooohhhh no," she replied as she hurried behind him, "You said it yourself, and now you're going to have to live with it…" She smiled as she caught up to him and linked arms with him, "We're going clothes shopping for new combat clothes…" she smirked triumphantly. "And you're paying!"

He grinned at her, "See! There's that smile I was talking about!"

She rolled her eyes, a frown replacing her smile. "Whatever, you're still paying…" she mumbled.

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**A/N: **I know… Depressing huh?... I can't help it, I've been a shitty mood lately and it's really leaking out in my writing… Sorry: )

YES!! This IS a SoraxKairi fic, and I PROMISE it WILL end a SoraxKairi fic. But until then, Sora will suffer for his stupidity… lol, no really… he will eventually "see the light" so to say… (and yes, the pun _was_ intended…) but for the next few chapters, there might be a little KairixRiku fluffiness… she's on the rebound… Riku is Sora's best friend… shit like that happens in those precious teenage years, it's only natural!

But seriously, I REALLY REALLY REALLY want some feedback as to where this fic had headed in the last few chaps. I take flames, constructive criticism, whatever! I'll take it! **REVIEW PLEASE!!**


	19. Reflections

**A/N: **Damn, I should have started bitching about the lack of reviews weeks ago!! lol YEAH! You guys rock! Thanks for all the input! It makes it a lot easier to update if I know everyone is still enjoying it: )

Reflections

Sora trudged through the streets of Radiant Garden, his shoes scuffing along the gritty pavement, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, and his eyes fixated in a sad sapphire stare on the road ahead of him. Cold wet raindrops lightly pelting his face, and he cursed as he pulled his black hood up over his head. "Perfect. Shitty weather for a shitty day…"

After a week of avoiding Kairi and conspiring with Riku, he was already wondering if lying to Kairi about his feelings for her was such a great idea… "Well, too late now…" he muttered under his breath as he heard the giggles from the opposite side of the Burrough…

"See! There's that smile I was talking about…"

Sora rolled his eyes at Riku's comment and continued his trudge up the long flight of stairs leading to the Bailey. He wasn't looking forward to today's lessons with Merlin. Today, he was going to finish building the barrier separating his heart into opposite poles of light and darkness. It had been a painful and unpleasant experience, to say the least, and the lack of sleep that had accompanied it for the past week had left him cold, sarcastic, and short-tempered. His outburst at Riku earlier was case-in-point…

"Pretty boy…" Sora smirked out loud, chuckling as he paused at the top of the stairway. "Well he _is _kind of a pretty boy…"

"Yeah, and he's with _your_ Princess of Heart right now…"

"What?" Sora stopped dead in his tracks and spun around on his heels. The stairway below was deserted. "Who's there??"

"It's maddening… Isn't it…"

Sora spun back around the other direction, his eyes darting around madly trying to find the owner of the melodic voice ringing in his ears as the rain intensified into a steady downpour. He shielded his eyes against the water beads trickling down his forehead as he peered around him.

"Here you are, trying to protect her… trying to save the world… and _he's_ down there with her, with _your _Princess of Heart." The voice taunted, "He doesn't deserve her!"

"What are you talking about?" Sora asked as he continued scanning his surroundings, his feet still planted at the top of the stairs.

"You know what I'm talking about… I'm talking about _Riku_ and _Kairi…_ Alone. Together…"

Sora remained silent as he grit his teeth together while mulling over those words…

"Don't tell me that you are so dense that you didn't even consider him moving in on your girl…"

"She's not my girl. Besides… Riku is my best friend. He knows that I love her… he would never do that…"

"Ah…. But perhaps he already has…" the voice chuckled.

Sora huffed in frustration. "How would you know?! Who the hell are you anyways?! Show yourself!" Sora ordered as his two keyblades materialized in his palms.

"Show myself?? Show myself…" the voice chuckled. "You really want me to show myself?"

"Yes! Dammit!" Sora growled as he tightened his grip on his weapons.

"Well, my dear Keyblade Master, all you have to do is look down…"

"What?" Sora replied angrily. "What the hell are you talking about?! That doesn't make any sense!"

"Just look down…" the voice hummed in his ears as the rain began to come down in sheets and a wind howled through the small buildings surrounding him.

Sora rolled his eyes and finally looked down at the cobblestones collecting rainwater at his feet. Directly underneath him was a large puddle of water and all he saw was his reflection looking back at him, his dark hood covering his eyes, his chocolate brown spikes hanging loosely in his face.

"All I see is my reflection…" Sora answered flatly.

"Look closer…"

Sora squinted down at the puddle against the turrets of rainwater pressing down on him as a gust of wind blew by him. Again, all he saw was his hooded reflection squinting back…

Suddenly, a gust of wind caught his hood and blew it back over his shoulders and out of his face. Sora cursed as the rain drenched his hair and face as he grabbed for the edges of the hood to replace it. Suddenly, he stopped…

He peered down at his reflection in the growing puddle underneath him, and squatted down to get a closer look, the blades of his weapons resting lightly on the ground on either side of him. Long beads of water ran down his cheekbones and dripped from his jaw line. He rested the Oathkeeper against his thigh and slowly brought his finger tips up to his tanned cheek and ran them along his cheek bones, his reflection below him performing the same gesture… only with black claw-like fingers running along black smoky skin. He closed his eyes and ran his hand over his face and though his hair while he tried to calm his racing heart.

When he opened his cerulean eyes again, they were not met with the same ocean blue stare from his reflection. As lightening pierced the cloudy sky above him, the black reflection in the puddle winked one sickly yellow eye at him, _"Surprised to see me?" _

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"What do you think of this one?" Kairi asked raggedly as she stepped out of the dressing room wearing a black leather jumpsuit outfitted with a long black cape.

Riku smirked, "You look like you just stepped out of the Matrix…"

"Yeah, you're right…" Kairi replied as she spun around in front of the mirror. "I look like Catwoman or something… it's too dramatic for me, huh?"

"Yep." Riku answered, "Too dark, too… You're a Princess of Heart, not a vampire."

Kairi giggled as she sneered at him, baring her teeth while she stalked towards him, "Rrrriikkkuuu… I vant to suck your bloooood!"

Riku laughed as he grabbed her around the shoulders and steered her back towards the dressing room, "Okay _Dracula… _We don't have all day. Next outfit…" he smiled as he reclaimed his seat outside the dressing room door.

"Hey Riku…" Kairi called from behind the closed door as she struggled out of the jumpsuit.

Riku smirked at the bare feet hopping up and down underneath the door, "Yeah…"

"Thanks…" the redhead leaned up against the door, crossing her bare arms across the top of it and resting her chin across her arms. She smiled at him, the light finally reaching her eyes for the first time in a week. "…For everything…You're a really great friend, Riku."

"You're welcome Kai." Riku answered back as he tried desperately not to picture what Kairi looked like behind the dressing room door. _I'm doing this for Sora… _he reminded himself internally as a tinge of red started playing across his cheekbones. "So… uh, what's next?" he asked quickly while he awkwardly ran his fingers through his bangs.

"Oh!" Kairi snapped out of her thoughtfulness and disappeared once again behind the dressing room door.

After a few minutes of tripping against the dressing room walls and mumbling about "damn zippers" and "bony hips", Kairi called out from behind the closed door. "You ready?"

"Yep." Riku answered.

"Promise you won't laugh…" she asked calmly as she peered over the top of the door.

Riku laughed as he eyed the playful cerulean gleam pleading with him, "Kairi come on. I promise I won't laugh."

She sighed, "okay…" and slowly opened the door and stepped out of the dressing room, watching her feet as she shuffled towards the three-way mirror. She was wearing all white, which accentuated her tanned skin and crimson hair. Her radiant sapphire eyes stood out the most against the white canvas, and Riku was awestruck at how graceful and angelic it made her look. The white sleeveless ribbed sweater hugged her curves perfectly, shaping her hourglass figure, the high neckline resting just under her collarbones. The tight white soft-leather pants rode low on her hips, overlapped with a pair of white slender knee-length boots that clicked softly on the hard tile as she walked, making her legs seem endless.

"Damn…" Riku was at a loss for words…

"What? Is it _that _bad?" she asked as she nervously played with the ends of her hair.

"No!" he answered as he slowly walked up behind her, "Kairi… you look… great!"

She smiled as she smoothed the sides of the shirt, "You really think so…"

Riku just nodded in response, unable to take his eyes off her.

_I wonder if Sora will like it… _she thought nervously as she turned around, craning her neck to examine her backside. She piled her hair on top of her head with her hands as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She looked differently than she did only a week ago. Not just the clothes, but something else. She could see it in her eyes, they looked… older, more mature. Somberness was not something that had carried well with her in the past, but her recent heartbreak played in her eyes like fire, lighting them up in hurt and betrayal. Sora had changed something about her…

She brushed the thought aside as she spun back around. "I like it too," she replied decisively. "But… it needs something."

"Needs something?" Riku responded as he was brought out of his reverie.

"Yeah…" she answered as she skimmed the nearby jewelry shelves. "Ah! Here!" she squealed as she grabbed two thick silver bands and clamped one around each arm just over her bicep. "There… now it's perfect."

Riku smirked and rolled his eyes, "Women…"

Kairi smiled and glanced out the windows of the shop at the fat rain drops wetting the glass. "Aw, it's raining…" she moaned as she walked across the shop and lightly rested her fingers against the cold glass.

Riku followed her and peered through the window at the graying skies blanketing Radiant Garden, "More like storming… We'd better get back."

"Yep," she agreed as she headed towards the cash register, pulling Riku behind her.

Riku laughed out loud as a thought suddenly struck him, "Hey Kai! It's raining… and you're wearing all white…"

An elbow in his ribs quieted his smirk and Kairi rolled her eyes as the cashier took Riku's munny, "Men…"

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**A/N: **Yeah for dirty minds! lol

Gasp! Sora's shadow is in his reflection… dun dun dun

And what changes have taken place in Kairi?!

And why are guys such perverts?! lol jk

Anyways, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW as usual: ) Because a happy writer means frequent updates!


	20. Separation

**A/N: **Wow… sorry about the delayed update… Well, delayed for me, anyways! lol

I've had some family issues, my Grandma is dying of Alzhemier's : (

Plus, I've had to work like four 12 hour days in a row and I'm exhausted! ARG!

Anyways… thanks for the reviews guys! Ya'll are awesome and I love ya: )

Separation

Sora was numb to the cold wet rain that was running down his face. He was completely unaware of it dripping from his jaw line in fast shallow drops that rippled across the glassy surface of the black snarling face below him. He opened his mouth to speak… scream… anything! But only a muffled yelp escaped the lump in his throat before he fell to his knees, colliding with the wet reflection below him.

"_So, I have rendered the mighty Sora speechless…"_

Sora winced as the words rattled in his head. "So… you're… inside me?" he choked out.

"_I had to go __**somewhere **__when you used that damn light orb, and this seemed like the most logical place to go." _

Hysterical laughter rang in Sora's ears as he doubled over, holding his stomach, and slowly shaking his head in disbelief. "I think I'm going to be sick…" He swallowed hard against the nausea nagging the back of his throat.

"_Buddy, I'm pretty sure that's the least of your worries. What the hell do you plan on doing about Red and Pretty Boy?" _

Sora snarled at the reflection below him, "Don't talk about her…" The nausea quickly dissipated and Sora clutched the sides of his head as he shouted at the blackening sky above him. "Why?! Why me?! Why now?!" he suddenly furrowed his brow and clenched his teeth. As the anger fuming at the edge of his sensory ignited, he punched at the wet ground, bloodying his knuckles against the stones.

"_Aw, why me? Why me? Poor little me!" _The shadow cooed in a high-pitched whiney voice, which quickly changed to an angry shout, _"Quit your pity party and get over it!" _

Sora quickly grabbed the keyblades lying at his sides and stood up, dismissing his weapons and replacing his wet hood over his soggy brown spikes. With a pierced brow he set off in long decisive strides towards the Bailey, where he knew Merlin was still waiting for him.

"_Hey! Fuck-up! Where the hell do you think you're going?"_

"To get rid of you," Sora replied darkly as blood oozed from his knuckles and trickled from his fingertips, mixing with the rainwater in long pink drips.

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"Riku… Come on, please!"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because the look on your face right now is just too priceless…"

Kairi stood just outside the store front, her arms folded across her chest as she glared through the sheet of water that was pouring from the awning covering her. "Fine…" she huffed, "Then I'll just stay here until it stops raining…"

"Fat chance…" Riku smirked at her through drenched silver bangs. "Then I guess I'll just go back to Merlin's and leave you here in the storm alone," he sing-songed over his shoulder as he strode away.

"Riku!" she yelled at his back, "Just buy a damn umbrella!!"

He turned around to face her and started walking backwards, "Why don't you buy one?"

"I didn't bring any munny!! _Someone _woke me up rather rudely this morning without telling me where I was going! And _someone _owes me an umbrella!"

Riku smiled as he stopped in his tracks and suddenly started walking towards her, "Yeah… and that _someone _just spent all the munny he had on him on a certain white outfit!" He grabbed her by the wrist and started pulling her into the street and into the rain, "Now come on and quite being such a damn baby! I promise… you won't melt!"

"Riku!" she squealed as the cold wet raindrops pelted her face and soaked into her clothing. She struggled against his grasp, but quickly gave up and allowed herself to be pulled through the market streets as she redirected her energy into trying to stay as dry as possible.

As they passed through the shops on the edge of the market, Kairi noticed Riku's sly grins and glances over his shoulder at her, "Riku… what the hell are you laughing at?"

"Huh?" Riku's face suddenly turned a bright shade of red and he quickly looked straight ahead, "N-nothing!"

"Riku…"

Kairi's tone was somewhere in between a mother's scolding and a sister's teasing, and Riku knew he didn't stand a chance against her inquiries. So, being Riku he decided to get straight to the point, "I can see through your shirt…"

"WHAT?!" Kairi stopped dead in her tracks and looked down. Sure enough, her dark bra was plainly visible, even through the thick sweater-like material. "RIKU! STOP LOOKING, YOU PERV!!" She blushed brilliantly and threw her arms around her chest.

Riku just stared at her, trying his best to hold back the laughter that his mouth was threatening to erupt. Finally, the humor of the situation got the best of him and he burst out in laughter, "Kairi! You should see the look on your face!"

At first Kairi just glared at him, but as the rain soaked through her, she felt like a drown rat. And Riku actually looked like a drown rat with his hair hanging even shaggier and longer than usual around his pale face. Soon, she was holding back giggles of her own. "We look pretty ridiculous, you know?"

"Yeah… Come on, let's get back to Merlin's. Leon and the gang will be wondering where we are…" Riku laughed along.

"Yep, so will So…ra…"

And the laughter stopped, the moment killed with just the mention of his name. Kairi's smile dropped and the heaviness in her chest returned. She sighed and started walking towards Merlin's, a sheet of rain blurring her path.

"Kairi…" Riku yelled over the dull roar of the raindrops and rumble of thunder.

"I'm fine," she cut him off with a wave of her hand. "Let's just get back to Merlin's."

Riku hated to see Kairi's smile disappear, so he quickly chased after her, "Kai, wait up…" He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. "I… I have to tell you something."

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Streaks of lightening danced in the clouds just outside the large window overlooking the ruins of Maleficent's castle. The rain beating down on the rocky walls around them deafened in Sora's ears as he strained to hear Merlin's voice over the thunder and howling wind.

"Ah, ok. A separation, of light and darkness, with a full barrier to protect the light still left in your heart from being consumed while you tap into your darkness."

Sora nodded, "A barrier…" He repeated in a flat tone, no emotion betraying him in his stance or facial expressions. _"Psh. A barrier… Yeah right…" _Sora looked at Merlin nervously, assuring himself that the old wizard hadn't heard the shadow's voice.

Merlin pressed on, not faltered, "Today we will complete the last step. A-are you ready, Sora?"

"_Yeah Sora, are you ready to feel darkness?" _Sora winced as the shadow snickered in his head. He glanced at the old wizard through a pierced brow before nodding once, "Let's do it."

"Ok then, let's get started…" Merlin called over his shoulder as another streak of lightening blinded Sora's eyes. Merlin took a few steps and then turned around to face Sora. "Alright. As you know, you yield both a keyblade of light, as represented by the Kingdom Key bearing the Oathkeeper keychain, and a keyblade of darkness, as represented by the dark Keyblade of Hearts. Once we have barricaded the polar ends of your heart, you will no longer be able to wield both keyblades at the same time."

Sora swatted at a few buzzing flies, "And because I got the Oathkeeper charm from Kairi, a Princess of Heart, that makes it a keyblade of light…"

"Yes!" Merlin nodded enthusiastically, "When you are tapping into the power of darkness, you will be at your most powerful. There are many new spells and weapons that will become available, but you will not be able to wield the power of light during that time."

"Because of the barrier…" Sora finished.

"Precisely! You may consider the darkness somewhat of a drive form, with which you are previously familiar. I predict it will change your appearance as well as your abilities… However, you will remain in full control of your actions, unlike a possession with darkness. "

"_Ha! You think you can control me?!" _the shadow spat. Sora inhaled deeply, biting his tongue so as not to retaliate. "So how do we build this barrier…" Sora asked impatiently as thunder rumbled through the violet chasms below them.

"Ah yes, the barrier… Well, most of it is already completed, by your own doing. By keeping your darkness from Kairi, you actually started the barrier months ago while still on Destiny Islands."

"Ok… And how do I finish it?"

"By building the other half…" Merlin sighed as he led Sora to the window and motioned for him to sit. "Sora… I want you to close your eyes and think about everything in your life that is light…"

Sora frowned at the wizard in a questioning stare as he situated himself on the narrow window, "What?"

"Trust me… just close your eyes… And picture what parts of your life make up the light in your heart."

Sora sighed and closed his eyes, ignoring the irritating chatter ringing in ears about "_what light?"... _and "_don't bother"…_. He sat very still, listening to the wind howling in his ears and the rain rattling against the cold stony walls around him. _My light… Kairi… My friends… My home… My mom… _Suddenly, the rain pounding against the walls didn't seem so loud and the winds ceased to blow. His surroundings seemed as still and quiet as he was. A warm sensation pooled in his chest and radiated across his shoulders and down his stomach, until his whole body felt submersed in the warmth. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth for the first time in a week and he felt peaceful.

Merlin nodded enthusiastically at Sora's calm demeanor. "Very g-good Sora!" he praised quietly, "Now, without opening your eyes, I want you to think about the light dimming, but not going out… Just fading behind a closed door…"

As Sora did as he was told, the warm sensation tingling in his fingertips and toes slowly traveled back up his limbs, leaving behind a numbness and emptiness. As the heat traveled back towards his heart, his face softened into a somber expression. He shivered involuntarily at the absence of the warmth as he suddenly felt the wind across his damp skin. Slowly, he began to acknowledge the rain pelting against the stony walls surrounding him and the rumble of thunder echoing in the gorge below him.

As he opened his eyes to meet Merlin's, Sora felt empty and alone. He was surprised to find that the snickering voice was mute in his head and he reveled in the silence surrounding him.

"Okay Sora…" Merlin smiled softly, the light reaching his soft grey eyes as he put a reassuring hand on Sora's shoulder. "Now I want you to close your eyes and think about what parts of your heart contribute to your darkness."

Sora nodded slowly and closed his eyes. _My darkness… Resentment of the Keyblade's calling… Guilt for my mother's death… Hatred towards my shadow… Jealousy towards Riku… Shame for breaking Kairi's heart… _Suddenly, the storm around him began to intensify. The lightening seemed brighter, even through his closed eyelids, and the wind whipped through him, cutting through his clothing with ease. The thunder rumbled in his ears, deafening him and the rain hammered against the walls around him, creating a dull roar that echoed throughout the Bailey. Sora felt dark, and a foreboding awareness raised the hairs on the back of his neck as he sat very still and silent in the chaos surrounding him. The voice in his head, again, was mute.

Suddenly, he felt a surge of power erupt from his core and course through his veins. It almost felt as though he were holding the dark Keyblade of Hearts, but more intense. He threw back his head and lifted his arms slightly off the stony window sill he was still sitting on as the power of darkness began flowing through him. He felt like he was high, high on the waves of adrenaline and strength crashing through his body.

"Yes! Sora! You're doing it…"

Sora opened his eyes and looked down at his body. His clothing had turned completely black and had dark purple accents on the pants and shoulders. Black and violet flames licked at his fingertips and swirled around his arms and legs, ignited with power and energy. His eyes had turned so dark, not even his pupils were detectable. As he stood up, he realized that he was actually floating several inches from the ground, and a manic laughter escaped him.

Merlin watched in amazement as Sora raced through the Bailey with speed that rivaled the lightening that was still sparking the sky above them. He seemed stronger, faster, and more agile than ever. Merlin clapped his hands together and shouted, "Sora! My boy! Excellent, just excellent! Why don't you drive down now, eh? We don't want to over do it on your first day…"

"Yeah…" Sora agreed and came back to were Merlin was standing as he sadly let the flames fueling his drive form extinguish in puffs of black and purple smoke that lifted around his body. "I think I need a break… I'm going to go back and rest for a while at your place Merlin…"

"Yes! Rest… rest sounds good my boy! Ah, we will resume tomorrow!"

"Thanks Merlin." Sora smiled and turned towards Merlin's.

"_Hmmm… I think fuck-up likes the power of darkness. It feels good, doesn't it?" _The shadow's voice returned as Sora sprinted down the long flight of stairs from the Bailey.

Sora answered with a grin still playing across his lips, "Yeah… It does."

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**A/N: **Gasp! Is Riku going to spill the beans about Sora's love for Kairi!?

What are Sora's new abilities as he taps into darkness?

And will Kairi buy a new bra that doesn't show through her shirt?! lol

Ok…. So…. I have little challenge for my readers! Well… not a challenge really… But I am taking suggestions for a different world to do in my next chapter!! My original thought was either Beast's Castle or Halloween Town, but then I decided to let my readers decide were Sora and the gang will go next!! So, REVIEW and let me know what world you want to see next!! OKAY! REVIEW PLEASE!


	21. Revelations

**A/N: **(sigh) I give up on trying to get more reviews… (frowns sadly) I guess that means that my story is only mediocre…. Oh well… (sniff sniff) Here's the next chap…

Revelations

"_Kai, wait up…" He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. "I… I have to tell you something."_

Kairi stared annoyingly at the silver-haired friend in front of her, "Riku, can't it wait? It's pouring out here and I'm really not in the mood for games anymore."

Riku shook his head, causing water to sling from the tips of his hair and spray around him. "Kai this is important and it's something you need to hear…"

"Well can it at least wait until we get to Merlin's?"

Riku sighed and cupped a hand over his eyes and peered up into the looming clouds above them, "Yeah… Come on." He started walking back towards Merlin's and motioned over his shoulder for her to follow.

Silence followed as they made their way towards the Burrough. Riku walked stiffly wringing his hands nervously as he rehearsed in his head how he was going to word what he wanted to say to Kairi.

Kairi walked with a sulk, her arms wrapped around her chest tightly as she tried to conserve body heat and stay dry.

When they finally arrived at Merlin's, the place was empty. A small hand-scribbled note sat on the small end table by the sofa:

_Sora, Kairi, Riku…_

_At a restoration site. Leon has his cell if you need us._

_-Aerith-_

_PS Meet us at the bar at 5pm, its karaoke tonight and we're celebrating Yuffie's birthday tonight!_

Riku glanced at his watch, 4:30… _Wow, I didn't realize we were gone so long… _ He slid the note back in its place as Kairi fetched a couple of towels from the bathroom. She handed one to Riku as she ran hers through her dripping crimson hair. "I'm going to go change… I'll be back in a sec."

She headed back to the bathroom as Riku stood in the living room alone. Leaving the World that Never Was in such a hurry, he didn't have a chance to pack his stuff back up. So, he pulled his soggy vest and shirt over his head, peeling the sticky fabric from his chest, and crossed through the hallway past the closed bathroom door to throw the dripping clothes in the dryer.

He returned to the living room, his towel slung around his bare shoulders. A few seconds later, Kairi emerged from the bathroom donning a pair of white cotton pants and an oversized pink sweatshirt with a college logo on the front. Her wet hair was pulled into a messy ponytail and her face was clean of the dripping mascara marks that had stained her cheeks only minutes before.

She blushed at Riku's shirtless physique and quickly averted her attention to her hands as she plopped down on the sofa beside him. "Okay Riku…" she sighed, "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Right… Well, Kairi. You know how much I care about you, right?"

Kairi continued to stare at her hands and nodded stiffly. "Yeah Riku, we've been friends for a long time."

"Yeah… friends…" Riku repeated softly. He shook his head of his thoughts and managed a weak smile. "Anyways… You and Sora…. You guys mean the world to me. I wouldn't trade the friendship we share for anything."

At the mention of Sora's name, Kairi's face fell further, but she managed a smile and faced Riku. "Me too Riku…"

Riku sighed and averted her gaze by staring at his hands awkwardly, "That's why… Despite my promise to Sora… I have to tell you why he's really avoiding you."

Kairi clenched her jaw and glared at the floor in front of her, "I don't want to talk about Sora…"

"Kai look," Riku suddenly grabbed Kairi's hand in between his own and pleaded with her, "He cares a lot about you, he's just trying to do what he thinks is right inside that puny little head of his…"

Kairi turned to face him and placed her other hand on his arm, "Riku, I know you're only trying to help, but…"

"Kairi, listen to me. He lo…" Riku stopped himself before he spilled his best friend's secret and restructured his sentence, "He's trying to protect you… He just doesn't want to see you get hurt."

"PROTECT ME?!" Kairi suddenly pulled her small hand from Riku's grasp and stood up in front of him. "What is it with you two and trying to protect me all the damn time?!"

"Kairi calm down…"

"NO! I will NOT _calm down! _I am sick and tired of being the damsel in distress! I fought with Sora and WON when he was possessed by darkness, I've fought and killed heartless, and I hold the power of light! Sora is just too damn bent on trying to protect me all the fucking time to realize that I'm the one protecting him!!!!"

Riku's mouth dropped at hearing Kairi drop the F-bomb. He had never heard such a curse escape her sweet lips and he was shocked at her anger. She clenched her hands into small fists at her sides and glared through the tears fogging her cloudy blue eyes. "If Sora cared so much about me… then why… why…" she choked on the lump forming in her throat.

"Why did he break your heart?" Riku finished for her.

She nodded as she fought the tears nagging at her eyelids.

"Because… he…" Riku sighed as he ran his hands through his wet hair, "He cares about you…" he finished lamely.

Kairi rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Right… He _cares about me_" she repeated sarcastically. At that moment the front door swung open, gaining Riku and Kairi's attention. A very wet and dripping Keyblade Master stood in the open doorway, wringing the water from his clothes as he shook the loose drops out of his chocolate spikes.

Kairi's heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, but she quickly shook the feeling from her chest and sulked back to the sofa, reclaiming her seat next to Riku.

Sora stood in the doorway oblivious to the two teens' presence at the opposite side of the small room. He still wore the goofy grin on his face and he murmured to himself as he pulled his soggy wet shirt from his torso as he passed through the room towards the hallway leading to the bathroom, his shirt over his head obscuring his view of the sofa as he passed by. Kairi blushed wildly at his toned chest and buried her face in palms to hide it from Riku.

As he vanished behind the bathroom door, Riku turned his attention to the redhead beside him and whispered, "Kai, I think I need to go… you guys… you need to talk."

"Riku!" Kairi hissed as she grabbed for his arm but Riku was already walking across the room towards the bedrooms in the back. He turned around and mouthed, "You'll be fine…" before disappearing down the narrow hallway.

Kairi shifted in her seat uncomfortably as she pondered what to do. She definitely did _not _want to talk to Sora, but a quick glance out the window revealed the storm still surging outside. She sighed as she sank into the couch cushions, trying her best to make herself invisible before Sora emerged from the bathroom. She closed her eyes, pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head in her arms across her kneecaps as the bathroom door creaked open.

She peered over her arms to find Sora walking into the room, his head bent over with a towel over his head as he rubbed vigorously at his wet hair.

She rolled her eyes and averted her gaze to the couch cushion beside her.

As Sora pulled the towel off his head and let it rest around his bare shoulders, he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of a certain redhead curled up on the sofa in front of him. He darted his eyes around the room, not sure at first whether she was asleep or just ignoring him.

"Kairi?" he asked softly.

"Hmpf…" Kairi tightened her grip around her knees resituated her head on her arms.

Satisfied that she was indeed awake… and apparently was indeed ignoring him… he relaxed into a chair across the room and stared at her, trying to decide whether or not he should try to start a conversation. The last conversation ended with words that still rang in his head at night when he was trying to go to sleep and soured his stomach… _I. Don't. Love you._

As he opened his mouth to say something, Kairi ended the silence first, "Sora… Why?" she demanded without looking at him.

He snapped his mouth shut as he pondered her simple question, "Why what?"

"You know what I'm talking about…" she mumbled.

Sora sighed as he tried to word his next sentence carefully, "Kairi… Sometimes you have to make sacrifices. And even though they're hard to make… Sometimes they're necessary."

"So, you're saying that it was necessary to break my heart?!" she demanded as she popped her head from its resting place and glared at him.

Sora winced at her words, "Kairi… I never wanted to break your heart. I just didn't want to see you get hurt."

"You didn't want to see me get hurt…" she repeated, her words laced with sarcasm.

Sora rubbed at his neck nervously as he stood up and closed some of the distance between them as he kneeled down in front of her. "That's right."

"Don't you get it…" she mumbled as she averted her glare from his sapphire eyes.

"What?" he asked cluelessly.

"Nothing," she answered curtly as she stood up and started walking towards the hallway.

"Kai!" he called after her, raising his hand up in front of him as if stopping her, "I just didn't want you to get hurt!" he repeated lamely.

Suddenly she stopped in her tracks and clenched her jaw in frustration. Sora watched from his kneeled position in front of the couch as she spun around to face him, her face red with anger, "SORA! YOU _DID _HURT ME!"

Sora swallowed his guilt and stood up, "Kairi… I mean physically."

He didn't get a chance to finish as Kairi stormed over, "Is that any worse than emotionally?!" she yelled.

"If anything happened to you because of my selfishness…"

"What?! What IF something happened Sora?! We wouldn't know because you never even gave it a chance! You never gave me a chance! Did you even ONCE think about what _I_ wanted??!!"

Suddenly Sora had one of those 'a-ha!' moments as a proverbial light bulb clicked on his head, "No…" he said lamely, barely above a whisper, "I guess I didn't."

"Well then… at least you were right about _one _thing…"

"And what's that?"

"You are selfish…." She said bitterly. "But why?? Why didn't you just tell me what was going on??"

"Because I couldn't Kairi… If I did, the darkness would have swallowed you too."

She rolled her eyes and clenched her fists at her sides again, "There you go again with your damn 'knight in shining armor' bullshit!" she yelled.

"Kairi! I couldn't because I… I…" Sora stuttered, unsure of what he was going to say.

"WHAT SORA??! BECAUSE YOU _CARE ABOUT ME???!!!" _she yelled as she inched closer to him, he face red and only inches from his as she screamed at the top of lungs at him.

"No!" he retaliated as he grabbed her forcefully by the shoulders and met her piercing gaze with his own sapphire glare.

"No?" she questioned angrily, "Then what Sora?"

"Because I _love_ you!"

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**A/N: **(laughs devilishly) I am sooooo evil!! But!! Don't fret!! I do plan on updating again today, because my next chapter is going to be the gang at the bar, drinking, and singing karaoke!! Woo hoo!! But… gasp! Sora told Kairi he loves her!! What will become of our lovebirds??!!! PLEASE REVIEW!! I crave feedback!!


	22. Heart of Mine

**A/N: **Yeah! I am the Update Queen! Lol You guys owe me for two updates in one day!! Owe me reviews, that is!! SO REVIEW PLEASE!!!!

**Disclaimer:** Well, I haven't done one of these in a while… I don't… Never will… so there!

I also don't own "Heart of Mine" the song… I know Norah Jones sings it, but I don't know who wrote it ; )

Heart of Mine

"What…" Kairi asked hoarsely.

"…"

"What did you just say?" She asked softly again, her shoulders relaxing under his touch as she stared at him incredulously.

"N-nothing… I didn't say anything…" he muttered as he lifted his grasp on her and turned around to plop down on the sofa.

"What did you say?" she probed, sitting beside him, her face contorted in a confused glare.

"Kairi…" he sighed as he rubbed nervously at the back of neck. He opened his mouth to answer, but snapped it shut when he was unable to formulate any words. Suddenly, Sora felt another presence in the room and he looked over to see Riku standing awkwardly in the doorway to the hall, wearing a pair of Sora's blue jeans. Sora blushed as he wondered how long Riku had been standing there and how much he had heard. However, for once, he was glad for the intrusion. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and quickly got up and crossed the room to stand beside Riku. "Look!" he exclaimed triumphantly as he threw an arm around his friend's shoulders, "Riku's here!"

Kairi rolled her eyes and relaxed into the couch cushions, defeated.

Riku gave Sora a confused look before pulling Sora's arm off his shoulder and crossing the room to pick up the note still sitting on the end table by the sofa. "Hope you don't mind, I borrowed a pair of your jeans… Have you seen this?" he asked as he handed the note to Sora… as Sora read the scribbles, Riku walked back towards the dryer at the end of the hallway that was still tumbling with his wet shirt, "We were supposed to be at the bar fifteen minutes ago!" he yelled over his shoulder.

Sora nodded and placed the note on the table next to him. "Guess we'd better get dressed," he mumbled to Kairi, who was still sitting on the sofa with a pout on her face.

She sighed and stood up, crossing the room silently. She walked over to Riku and whispered something in his ear before heading into the bathroom. Sora looked at Riku in confusion.

Riku shrugged his shoulders before pulling his dry shirt over his head, "She says to go on ahead… she'll meet us there."

"Fine…" Sora muttered, "Give me a couple of minutes to get dressed…"

Riku nodded and plopped down on the sofa to wait for Sora. After a couple of minutes, Sora emerged from the back bedroom wearing a pair of dark wash blue jeans strapped to his hips with a brown belt and a plain blue button down shirt un-tucked with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. The collar of the shirt hung loosely around his collarbones and the top buttons remained unbuttoned to reveal the infamous crown chain that never left his neck. He shoved his feet into a pair of white sneakers while glancing out the window to notice the rain shower dissipating into a slight sprinkle. "Thank the heavens…" he muttered as he sprayed some cologne on his shirt, "It finally stopped raining…"

"Yep," Riku agreed, "You ready to go?"

"Yeah…"

Riku stood up and quickly crossed the room and knocked lightly on the bathroom door… "Kai… we're leaving now. We'll see you a little bit!"

"Ok, Riku! Tell Leon and the gang I'll be there shortly!!" she called from behind the bathroom door as the sound of running water started, indicating that she was about to take a shower.

The boys sauntered out the front door and made their way towards the market, splashing in the wet streets as twilight began to settle on the town of Radiant Garden.

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Kairi moaned softly as she stepped under the running water, letting it beat down on her shoulders and head. Her mind raced with the day's recent events and she kept trying to convince herself that she had not heard Sora mutter the words that she _thought_ she had heard. He had said them so quietly, mumbling incoherently… but… she could have sworn he had told her that he…

"Na…" she laughed shaking her head at the absurdity. "There's no way he said _that_." She said as she piled some shampoo on her hands and massaged her head with the suds. "Or did he…"

She growled at herself as she scrubbed vigorously at her scalp, "Kairi! Knock it off… quite doing this to yourself. He did _not _say _that_…" But as she thought about the possibility, he heart fluttered in her chest as the broken shards reconnected with each other with every beat. "Don't do it…" she told her beating heart… "Don't…" She shook her head as she rinsed the suds out of her hair and ran a handful of conditioner through her wet locks. "Don't fall for him again; he'll just break you again…"

She sighed as she rinsed off the last of the soap suds covering her body and turned off the water facets. "I'm really loosing it…" she laughed as she stepped out of the shower and toweled off, "I'm talking to my heart for heaven's sake!"

She tucked the towel under her arms and quickly dried her hair and let it fall around her shoulders softly as she carefully applied some light makeup and lip gloss. Before crossing the hall to the room that held her bag, she poked her head out the door to assure herself no one was still in the house. Satisfied that she was indeed alone, she quietly entered the small bedroom and changed into a pair of black capris and a dark violet top.

She glanced at herself in the full length mirror and momentarily reconsidered the low neck line that showed a little more cleavage than she was comfortable with, but some tiny voice whispered in the back of her head, _Sora will like it… _She smiled as she slipped her polished toes into a pair of black strappy high heel sandals. With once last glance in the mirror, she ran her fingers through her crimson locks and puckered her scarlet lips at the mirror before grabbing her purse and rushing out the door.

Her heels clicked along the cobblestone walk as she hurried through the Burrough towards the market streets. Dusk was settling over the town and the sky glowed with the setting sun and moonlight peeking around the clouds that dissipated overhead. The short walk to the bar went by quickly.

Kairi frowned at the pungent odor of cigarette smoke and whiskey as she entered the small bar. The establishment was cozy, and situated on top of one of the shops just off the main street. A long black bar stood to the side of the front door and ran the length of the room, although it was almost camouflaged behind a mass of bodies. Along the wall across from the bar were several open pairs of double doors that led out to a narrow balcony that was lined with bistro tables and chairs, which also ran the length of the room. At the back of the room was a small stage that was currently set up for karaoke where a very familiar dark-haired ninja stood behind a microphone singing along obnoxiously to a pop song. The bar itself was pleasantly full, but not too crowded to make one uncomfortable.

Kairi shifted in her heels as she scanned the room for her friends. She finally saw Riku's silver locks and heard Cid's unmistakable accent, and made her way towards where they were sitting at a few tables pushed together right in front of the stage.

Sora sat at the end of the table, his arms crossed across his chest as he and Leon tried desperately not to burst into laughter at Yuffie's 'performance' onstage. Riku sat with Aerith and Cid at the other end of the table talking amongst themselves as Kairi walked up to the table.

"Hey guys…" she greeted warmly as she sat down between Leon and Aerith.

"Hi hun!" Aerith smiled and hugged Kairi, "Glad you could make it!"

The guy's muttered their 'hello's'… all except for Sora who was still gawking at Kairi speechless, until Leon elbowed him in the ribs to bring him back to reality. He shook his head of his thoughts and smiled sheepishly, "Hey Kai…"

Kairi smiled briefly in his direction before averting her eyes to her hands and reminding herself of her talk with her 'heart' in the shower earlier. Yuffie bounded off the stage, squealing as she picked Kairi up in a bear hug. "Kairi! You came!"

Kairi laughed as Yuffie loosened her hold around her, "Happy birthday Yuffie! Sorry I didn't have to time to get anything… I didn't even know it was your birthday…" she apologized quietly.

"It's okay! I'm just glad you guys are here to celebrate with me!"

"Us too…" Sora smiled.

At that moment a waitress wearing all black, including a short miniskirt covered by an apron, and tank top, interrupted the idle conversation. Her hair was light blond and cut short just under her chin and stood out all over her head in texture. A thick black headband tucked behind her ears and her emerald eyes shown brilliantly behind her long bangs. She smiled warmly as she greeted the group, "Hey guys! My name is Shai and I'll be your server for the evening… What can I get for ya?"

All the guys ordered beer, except for Sora, who ordered a cranberry juice. Yuffie ordered a margarita and Aerith a glass wine. Kairi waved her hands dismissively, "I don't really want anything."

"Oh, come on now." Shai smiled convincingly. "At least let me get you a glass of water."

Kairi smiled back and nodded her head, "With lemon please."

After obtaining proper ID, Shai spun on her heels and headed for the bar. Sora couldn't help but notice Riku eyeing the waitress up and down as she walked away and he laughed as he jabbed him in the stomach. "Hey! Get your head out of the clouds!"

Riku blushed briefly and smirked at Sora through silver bangs. "Don't you mean get your head out of the gutter?" he laughed.

"Whatever man…" Sora rolled his eyes.

After a few minutes Shai returned with a tray full of drinks and proceeded to pass them out to owners as Yuffie jumped up from her spot at the end of the table suddenly. "Kairi!" she exclaimed, "I know what I want you guys to get me for my birthday!"

"What is it Yuffie?" Kairi asked as she accepted her glass of water from Shai and mouthed a 'thank-you'.

"I want you guys to sing a song!"

"WHAT?!" all three stopped what they were doing and stared at Yuffie with blank expressions.

Yuffie giggled as she sipped on her margarita, "You heard me! I said I want ya'll to sing a karaoke song! But not together! You each have to sing your own… and I want Kairi to go first!!"

Kairi groaned as she held her face in her hands, "Yuffie, isn't there anything else you want? Flowers? A CD? A card?!"

"Nope" Yuffie smiled triumphantly, "I want a song… any song… I don't care! It doesn't even have to have anything to do with me!"

Kairi sighed as she stood up and climbed the stage.

"WHAT?! Kairi… you aren't actually going to do this are you?!" Riku choked.

"Hey… what the birthday girl wants, the birthday girl gets."

Sora crossed his arms defiantly. "Whatever… there is NO way you're getting me up there…" he muttered under his breath.

Kairi ignored him as she scrolled through the list of songs until a certain title caught her attention. _Heart of Mine. _She glanced through the lyrics and recognized them from a jazz club she gone to with Selphie and Tidus back home. She quickly considered the appropriateness of it after her conversation with her own heart earlier. She also wondered if the object of her remorse would catch on to underlying meaning. She pushed the thought aside, reminding herself that this was Sora she was talking about… Not the sharpest tool in the shed when it came to the obvious… She sighed and entered the code for the song on the player and waited for the music to start…

As the soft tune began to play, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered to life as she gripped the microphone stand in front of her for dear life. As the words bounced onto the screen in front of her, she took a deep breath and sang quietly into the microphone.

_Heart of mine, be still_

_You can play with fire, but you'll get the bill._

_Don't let him know,_

_Don't let him know that you love him._

_Don't be a fool, don't be blind_

_Heart of mine_

As she sang, she avoided Sora with all her might, looking anywhere in the small bar but at him. Yet, if she had she would have seen the dumbfounded grin plastered across his face and dreamy stare in his eyes. She smiled as her gaze landed on Riku as he nodded reassuringly and ushered her to sing on. She built more confidence with each line of the song, and by the second verse, he voice was full and strong and filled the room with the smooth melody.

_Heart of mine, go back home_

_You've got no reason to wander, no reason to roam_

_Don't let him see, _

_Don't let him see that you need him_

_Oh! Don't put yourself over the line_

_Heart of mine_

During the break that followed, Kairi found herself tapping her heels and swaying her hips subconsciously to the beat of the song. She continued to avoid Sora's gaze until curiosity got the best of her and she glanced quickly in his direction. She found him staring at the table top in front of him, his hands up around his neck so that his face was obscured by his forearms. _He doesn't even look like he's enjoying it… _Kairi frowned and took a deep breath as tears stung the backs of her eyes. She glared at him briefly before starting the third verse with more passion that the first two…

_Heart of mine, go back where you been_

_The only trouble with you, is if you let him in_

_Don't let him hear_

_Don't let him hear where you're going_

_Oh! I'm tired of ties that bind_

_Heart of mine_

At the second break, she noticed Sora shift uncomfortably in his seat out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly she noticed him stand up and leave the table. He turned towards the back of the bar and walked towards what she assumed where the bathrooms. _He couldn't even stay to hear me sing?! _She bit her tongue as she tried to suppress the tears threatening her voice. She finished the song fervently as she glared at the brunette spikes wandering through the crowd of people.

_Heart of mine, so malicious and so full of guile_

_I give you an inch and you take a mile_

_Don't let yourself fall_

_Don't let yourself stumble_

_Oh! Do the time, don't do the crime_

_Heart of mine_

_Heart of mine…_

**A/N: **So, I promised a certain someone I would use the song he suggested in this chapter… but I decided to have Kairi go first… I promise it will be in the next chapter!! hehe…


	23. Let Me Go

**A/N: **Blah… chapter 22… I'm not really that fond of it. I actually think it kind of sucks, but anyways… here it is: )

Disclaimer: I don't own the song, "Let Me Go" or 3 Doors Down… But I do thank Brightshadow 5 for the suggestion! ; )

Let Me Go

The dimly lit bathroom, musty and secluded, served two functions that night at the bar in Radiant Garden. The obvious function that all bathrooms serve, and on that particular night it also served as a sanctuary for a certain Keyblade Master from hearing the heart-spoken words being sung on stage by a certain Princess of Heart. Words that he knew were directed towards him, and words that pained him to hear, despite the beautiful and flawless delivery.

As Sora paced in front of the stalls, his hands shoved in the deep pockets of his blue jeans and his eyes locked in a worried stare at the black ceramic tiles in front of him, he struggled to remember what it was like before the keyblade. What was his life like before heartless and Nobodies… before potions and spells… before drive forms and limits….? What was his life like before Kingdom Hearts?

The sad thing was… he couldn't remember what life was like back on his peaceful little island before he was burdened with the duty of the keyblade. He _did_ remember that he was happy, which was definitely more than he could say for his current situation. He could vaguely remember carefree days of sunscreen and rafts… battling with Riku for Kairi's attention… sunsets on the beach and the "Secret Place"… and wanting more than their simple island way of life.

But oh how he wanted that simple life back at this very moment. To be able to burst through those doors and tell Kairi the truth, gather her up in his arms and confess his undying love for her. Well…. Maybe not _that _quite yet… But he did want to save her from her heartache, save her from her songs of pleading with her heart to not fall in love again…

Although he had never actually heard her say it, he always knew that Kairi had deep feelings for him. Yeah, she loved him… she loved Riku too… They had been best friends for a decade, of course they loved each other. But what he felt for Kairi was something more, and he was almost certain she felt the same way.

He sighed as he turned on the facets to one sink and let the water run over his hands and swirl down the drain before splashing some on his face and running it through his stubborn spikes. As the water dripped back in to the sink below him, he hesitantly looked up into the mirror positioned over the sink, and cringed at the snarling black face sneering back at him.

"_What's wrong Fuck-up?? Is your little girlfriend's singing that bad that you had to hide in the bathroom like a pathetic coward?" _

Ah… yes… the reflection… his shadow… _That's _why he can't go burst through those doors and tell Kairi the truth, gather her up in his arms and confess his undying love for her… The thought made Sora want to jam his fist into the sickly yellow eyes gleaming at him, but a quick glance to his bruised and cut knuckles from his earlier outburst made him second guess his impulse.

"Shut the hell up…" he muttered as he closed the facets and grabbed a few towels from the granite countertop.

"Sora?"

Sora jumped at the voice and nearly knocked over the display of cheap colognes and deodorants lined up on the countertop. "Riku! Holy shit dude… you scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry man…" Riku replied as he pushed through the bathroom door and walked over to where Sora was standing. "Who the hell were you talking to?"

"Huh?"

"You told someone to 'shut the hell up…'" Riku's aquamarine eyes were filled with concern, and Sora was well aware that trying to lie to Riku was like trying to lie to a mind-reader.

"Oh… that…" Sora cleared his throat and nervously glanced sideways at the mirror, "It was n-nothing…"

Riku narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Hey Riku?"

"Yeah…"

"When you look in that mirror, what do you see in my reflection??" Sora asked tentatively, wringing his hands nervously.

Riku rolled his eyes, guessing that this one of Sora's sappy ways of starting a monologue that would indefinitely end in Riku feeling sick to his stomach and Sora gaining new insight into life. "Sora I don't have time for this…"

"Come on… Please."

Riku was surprised by Sora's seriousness and he could almost hear a layer of desperate anxiety in his voice. He sighed, somewhat annoyed and looked at the long mirror over the sinks… "Sora, when I look at your reflection I see a sixteen year old dude who tries to do too much without the help of his friends. I see someone who believes in self-sacrifice before burdening his loved-ones and I see someone who bears the strongest heart that I've ever known…" Riku paused to let his words sink in before laughing and slapping Sora on the back, "I also see someone who is going to get mauled by Yuffie if he doesn't get back out there and sing a song for her birthday!"

Sora looked at Riku skeptically, "You mean… You don't see anything… different?"

"No…" Riku narrowed his eyes at his friend, "Sora… What's going on? You feeling okay?"

Sora looked blankly at his shadowy reflection in the mirror before shaking his head of his thoughts and turning towards Riku, "Riku… what if…" Sora quickly debated whether or not he wanted to divulge Riku in this particular darkness. "What if I told you that I see myself in the mirror with yellow eyes and charcoal black skin?"

Riku wasn't sure if he should laugh at Sora or slap him back to reality. His face was so contorted with grief, Riku decided against both… "What are you talking about, Sora?"

Sora sighed, "Riku… When I see a reflection of myself, I don't see… myself."

Riku nodded slowly with a confused look on his face… "Okay… Then what do you see?"

"I see…" Sora's gaze fell to the floor briefly before he locked eyes with his silver-haired companion, "…my shadow."

"You mean the one that tried to take Kairi that night at Merlin's?!"

Sora's mouth suddenly became very dry and he found it difficult to form any words, so he just nodded silently.

"Shit... man…" Riku shook his head disbelievingly. "Are you sure? Wait… of course your sure… But why? How?"

Sora was still numb for words, so he shrugged his shoulders.

"Damn… This is more serious than I thought it was. How long have you been seeing it?"

"Just since today… earlier in the Burrough, during the thunderstorm." Sora gulped before continuing, "But there's more… I can hear it talking in my head…"

Sora expected Riku's mouth to drop and his eyes to glaze over, instead he just nodded understandingly, "So it's inside of you…" he mumbled, more to himself than anything else.

"Yeah…" Sora shifted uncomfortably in his shoes, "Riku… promise you won't tell Kairi."

Riku looked at Sora, obviously not approving of his last request. "Sora…"

"Look… I plan on telling her myself, but I have to figure out how first." Sora interrupted before Riku could object. "Just promise me you won't tell her until I get a chance to talk to her."

"Okay man. Promise…"

Sora heaved a sigh and managed a weak smile, "Thanks man…"

Suddenly the bathroom door swung open hard on its hinges and a black-haired head popped in the door, "SORA?! RIKU?! You guys in here??"

"Yuffie! This is the men's room… what the hell are you doing?!" Riku cried.

"They're about to shut down the karaoke and Sora still hasn't sung his song yet!" she whined back, "Come on Sora… Please please please please ple-"

"Arg! Okay Yuffie!!" Sora answered, covered his ears trying to rid the annoying pleas, "Just please stop!"

Yuffie giggled, "Okay! Then come on!!"

Sora looked at Riku briefly before mouthing another 'thank you' and ducking out the bathroom door. As he walked back towards the stage he glanced around nervously for Kairi's presence. When he saw her sitting silently at the end of their table, her chin in her hands and a distant stare occupying her usual playful cerulean eyes, he made a quick decision and took the long route to stage so he could pass by where she was sitting.

As he neared her, he noticed her glance at him nervously before turning the other direction and averting her gaze from him. His heart fell a little, and he silently debated his choice, but quickly decided to go ahead and proceed with his plan. He tried desperately to cool the growing blush on his cheeks and calm his racing heart. When he was directly behind her chair he leaned over her quietly, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. He brought his mouth close to her ear, quickly inhaled the scent of vanilla and coconut before whispering so only she and he could hear his words, "You sing like an angel…"

Kairi was stunned by his actions, and the feeling of his hot breath on her neck sent chills from the base of her skull to her tailbone. She gulped and turned to say 'thank-you', but Sora was already climbing the stage in front of her. The corners of her lips curled into a small smile as she felt the heat rising in her face. She buried her cheeks in her hands again to hide her blush as Sora scrolled through the selections on stage.

As Sora scrolled through the screen, looking for the song he already knew he wanted to sing… he didn't attempt to hide the redness on his cheekbones. When he found the title he was looking for, he tapped his selection and grabbed the microphone from the stand while he waited for the music to begin. "Hey guys, hope you don't mind if I change the words up a little," he muttered into the microphone while the speakers on either side of the stage sprang to life. As he started the first verse, he found Kairi's face, and never let his gaze leave her. When she noticed his stare on her, she blushed and ducked to the side shyly before slowly returning his gaze.

_Just one kiss could be the best thing_

_But one more lie could be the worst_

_All these thoughts are never resting_

'_Cause you're not something I deserve_

_In my head there's only you now_

_This world falls on me_

_In this world there's real and make-believe_

_This seems real to me_

_You love me, but you don't know who I am_

_I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand_

_You love me, but you don't know who I am_

_So let me go… Let me go_

As Sora sang, his voice was shaky and unsure, but he sang from his heart and as Kairi returned his gaze, he found new confidence and his voice strengthened. He gripped the microphone close to his mouth as he crossed the stage and knelt down in front of her, his eyes still locked on her watery cerulean orbs. Kairi's face looked conflicted, but she smiled despite herself. The small bar filled with 'awwwws' and 'how sweet's' as Sora began the second verse…

_I dream ahead to what I hope for_

_And I turned my back on loving you_

_How can this love be a good thing?_

_When I know what we're going through_

_In my head there's only you now_

_This world falls on me_

_In this world there's real and make-believe_

_This seems real to me_

_You love me, but you don't know who I am_

_I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand_

_You love me, but you don't know who I am_

_So let me go… Let me go_

As he balanced on the balls of his feet, eyes still locked with Kairi's conflicted gaze, he suddenly was aware of the tears pooling in his own eyes. He gulped and blinked a few times to subdue the unshed tears…

'_Cause no matter how hard I try_

_I can't escape darkness inside, I know… I know…_

_When all the pieces fall apart_

_You will be the only one, I love… I love…_

As he sang the last two words, he saw the tension in Kairi's face stiffen. She quickly stood up, wiping at unshed tears as she turned towards the closest balcony door. She apologized to Yuffie quickly before rushing from the table towards the door.

_You love me, but you don't…_

The sound of the microphone screeching as it tumbled to the stage caused the audience to cover their ears and grimace as Sora jumped from the stage."Kairi! Wait!" he called as he chased after her, the wordless music still filling the bar with guitar chords and drum rhythms.

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**A/N: **hehe…. Another cliffhanger… If I don't post again soon, it means that GTA Guy killed me… ; ) lmao

But yeah… I did change the words of the song up a little to what I needed it for… but Sora's the one in the story who changed them to say what he wanted it to… like "You will be the only on I love" (hint hint) hehe… I PROMISE that you guys are going to love the next chapter!! That is if I live long enough to write it… lol

PLEASE REVIEW!! It's easy… just push the little button, type a few words to tell me how much you despise my story and then hit "submit"… come on… you know you want to…


	24. Confessions

**A/N: **Sorry again for the delayed update (again, delayed for me…). My grandma finally passed away Sunday June, 10 after battling Alzheimer's for almost 8 years… So I have been busy with family stuff, funeral, and all that… BUT! I am back! …So on to Sora and Kairi…

Confessions

'_Cause no matter how hard I try_

_I can't escape darkness inside, I know… I know…_

_When all the pieces fall apart_

_You will be the only one, I love… I love…_

_Love… Love? Did he just say love? _Kairi's face stiffened and her mouth went dry as she pondered Sora's word replacement. She had heard this song many times, and was almost certain the true lyrics were 'the only one who knows… who knows…'

_I Love… _She felt nauseous as those two simple words spun around in her head in torrid circles, berating her thoughts and clouding her mind. _What is that supposed to mean… I love… _She suddenly could not stand the piercing sapphire eyes that were still boring holes in her skull as thoughts of her recent heartbreak and disappointment flooded the forefront of her mind... _I. Don't. Love You. _Those chilling words that he had spoken only a week ago still echoed in her ears and taunted her dreams at night.

In those quick seconds between _I love… _and _You love me, but you don't… _Kairi had made a decision. And that decision included getting Sora's voice out of her head and his eyes off of her mind… So she quickly stood up and whispered an apology in Yuffie's ear before darting towards the nearest balcony door.

As she pushed her way through the crowds of people, some recognized her as the girl that the guy on stage was singing to and they cooed and awed at her, asking her to 'give him a chance' and 'he's not _that _bad of a singer'… But she ignored their cries and as she neared the open doorway, she vaguely heard the screeching of the microphone and Sora shout.

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"Kairi! Wait!"

Sora jumped from the stage, his eyes carefully following the flash of auburn hair winding through the crowd of people gathered around the back of the bar. He barely saw her disappear out the last balcony door that was nearest the stage as he weaved through the mass of bodies, ignoring the pats on the back and 'go get her's coming from them.

When he finally made it to the door, he paused… Unsure of what he was going to say…

He was surprised to find the long narrow balcony completely empty. Dirty glasses littered the vacant tables, suggesting that their occupants had retreated indoors to enjoy the live entertainment. The night air was cool and crisp, and the cobblestone streets smelled of the rain that had washed through the town only hours before. A slight wind picked up the scent of the neighboring restaurants as the music inside wafted through the open sets of doors behind him. His heart skipped a beat when he found Kairi leaning over the railing at the far end of the balcony, her hair whipping about her head in the breeze, obscuring her face.

He gulped as he uneasily made his way over to where she was standing. He carefully leaned up against the railing beside her, his forearms resting on the railing and his fingers loosely entwined. For a few minutes he didn't say anything. Sora kept his eyes fixated in front of him, as did Kairi. Although, he stood close enough to her that the scent of hot food was easily replaced with coconut and vanilla as the wind picked up her hair in loose tendrils. The two just silently stared out over the dim outline of the city streets below them, the only sounds coming from the soft music playing inside.

Sora finally broke the silence… "You know… I used to come here, to this very balcony, when I couldn't sleep. I would sit here for hours and think about what my life used to be like. I wondered about you and Riku, if you guys were safe."

Kairi's stance remained unchanged and silent as Sora continued on softly, both their gazes still fixated on the city below them…

"I thought about you a lot… Every night in fact," he chuckled a little. "You were usually the reason I couldn't sleep! But ya' know…" Sora played with his hands nervously as he continued, "I would come here and think about your laugh, and your voice, and your smile… And it made it easier. Knowing that you were safe made me stronger and it made it easier to do what I knew I had to do. I knew that I could be the Keyblade Master as long as I knew that you were safe and one day I would see you again…"

Kairi sighed and swallowed against the lump in her throat as Sora slowly turned his head to look at her.

"Kairi… The thought of your smile was the only thing that kept me going during so many nights without you. I would sacrifice everything I have to keep you smiling…" He continued apologetically, his eyes briefly fell to his chest before returning to her obscured face behind a mass of crimson "…and I realize that I haven't done that lately. I know that I said some things that I shouldn't have said… and I've done some things that I shouldn't have done. But you have to understand that I did them only because I thought that it would keep you safe. And if keeping you safe meant sacrificing my happiness, then I was willing to do that…"

Sora slowly turned his body towards Kairi, and brushed a piece of stray hair flapping in the wind to tuck it behind her ear so that he could see her face. Her eyes were closed and she was biting her bottom lip as if trying to subdue unshed tears. His own eyes were dry, though sincere, as he gently turned her face towards his and held her cheek in his palm as she slowly opened her eyes...

"But Kairi… I was never willing to sacrifice _your _happiness. I want you to know that I lied to you when I said that I didn't love you… I'm sor-"

Kairi cut off his apology when she suddenly slung her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. She didn't say anything, but Sora could feel the silent tears seeping through the thin fabric of his shirt as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. He bent his head down, so that top of her head rested perfectly in the crook of his neck and his mouth was close enough to her ear that his breath on her neck sent shivers down her spine. He closed his eyes, and one tear slid down his cheek as he held her in his arms while three words nagged at the back of his throat… He had spent the past two years building up the courage to say the next few words that would most likely change his life forever… "I love you, Kairi" he whispered softly in her ear.

He felt Kairi's embrace around his neck tighten as she slowly lifted her face from his chest and met his gaze, "What did you say…" she whispered hoarsely, her voice cracking and her cerulean eyes bright with tears.

Sora smiled softly as he brought his hands from her waist to her face, "I said that I love you." He gently ran both thumbs under her eyes to wipe the tears from her cheeks, "I always have…" He leaned down closer to her as he held her face in between his thumbs, close enough that he could smell her cherry lip gloss, "And I always will…"

Time stood still as Kairi felt Sora's soft warm lips connect with hers in a way she had only dreamed about. She could no longer hear the soft music from inside the bar, smell the city streets surrounding them, or feel the cool breeze brushing her skin. All she could hear was the beating of her own heart, smell the sweet cologne on Sora's shirt, and feel the electric current that sparked from his touch as he kissed her.

As Kairi slowly pulled out of the kiss, the wind felt harsh on her bare lips as the world around them abruptly returned to life. "Sora… I..."

Sora's face flushed and his heart raced as Kairi struggled with words to respond. His knees felt weak, and his body intoxicated with the warmth of her lips.

"I don't know what to do…" she replied softly.

Sora felt his heart drop a little. _Not exactly the response I was looking for… _"Kai, what do you mean?"

She sighed as she pulled out of Sora's arms and leaned back up against the railing of the balcony, "It's just… I don't know if I can do this… Sora… I don't know if I can let myself get that vulnerable again…"

Sora nodded as he fought against the lump forming in his throat and the tears burning the backs of his eyes.

"I want to be with you, it's just that I don't think that my heart could take another heartbreak," she sobbed quietly as she buried her face in her hands. "I don't know what to do…"

"Kai… Please don't cry. I can't stand to see you cry anymore… Especially if it's because of me…" Sora slowly came up beside her and rubbed circles on her back soothingly as she cried softly into her palms. "What if…" he glanced around nervously, "…what if we just start all over again?"

She paused a second before lifting her face from her hands and wiping her cheeks, "What do you mean?"

"I mean… what if we just start out like we were… best friends." He replied with a smile, "I don't want to push you into anything that you aren't ready for, Kai. But I want you to know… that as long as there is blood in veins and breath in my lungs, I will never break your heart again." He replied sincerely as he met her gaze. "And you can consider that a promise."

"A promise?" Kairi repeated.

"A promise…" Sora finished with his classic cheesy smile and Kairi couldn't help but laugh.

"OK Sora…" she answered, knowing that Sora's promises were always kept.

"Friends?" Sora asked, still wearing his goofy grin as he stuck out his hand, waiting for a handshake.

Kairi smiled back, her eyes drying of the tears clouding her vision. "Friends," she answered as she grabbed his hand tightly.

"Come on…" Sora said as he threw an arm around Kairi's shoulder and steered her towards the door, "I think we're missing a birthday party inside…"

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**A/N: **Well… I know it was short, but I only wanted the balcony thing in this chapter…

So…what did ya think??? Actually, it really turned out completely different from how I had originally planned it… But I kind of like it: )

But yeah! Kairi finally knows how Sora really feels!! But… can she open up her heart to him again after he broke it?! And when will Sora tell Kairi about the Shadow??? Well… you'll just have to wait and see!!

Up in the next chapter… the gang gets ready to depart for a different world… with a new member added to the crew! Gasp! Who could it be???? Hehehe

PLEASE REVIEW!!! This chapter was REALLY hard to write….


	25. Familiar Faces

**A/N: **So here it is… the next chap… Riku's POV, because even Riku needs some lovin': )

Familiar Faces

Riku smirked from his seat at the bar as Kairi and Sora made their way back towards their seats at the table in front of the stage, Sora's arm hanging loosely around Kairi's shoulders and both teens smiling ridiculously at each other. Riku rolled his eyes and sighed into his empty beer bottle as he turned back towards the bar in front of him, "Finally…"

He was relieved that he would no longer have to hide secrets from his two best friends… and judging by the goofy grin plastered across both of their faces, Sora was no longer hiding any secrets from Kairi. He laughed a little and shook his head as he sat his empty bottle on the bar top, _Who would have guessed that Sora would have been to one to get the girl… _While growing up on Destiny Islands, he had always battled with Sora for Kairi's attention. And despite constantly defeating him in races and sparring, Kairi always seemed to end up watching the sunsets with Sora… or walking with Sora back home… or going to Sora when she felt like she needed someone to talk to… or laughing at Sora's corny jokes….

Riku was truthfully happy that they had both 'found each other', but secretly he longed to be as close to someone as Sora was to Kairi. If he could find someone to look past his sarcasm and moodiness, they might actually find out what kind of guy he is…

As Riku mulled over his thoughts, his mind a million miles away, he twirled the empty bottle on the bar until…

"Hello…. Are you okay?" a feminine voice called out beside him as a hand tapped his shoulder hesitantly.

Startled, Riku lost his balance with the bottle and it went crashing to the hard floor, breaking into a million shards of broken glass. "Shit…" Riku cursed as he backed his stool away from the bar, his eyes staring at the floor littered with the broken glass as the female voice next to him gasp.

"Oh! Here, let me get a dustpan!"

"No no…" Riku replied as he jumped from his barstool and began picking up the broken pieces and piling them in his hand, "It's fine… I can get it."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone bend down beside him and start brushing up the pieces of glass with a dishtowel. "Well, at least let me help… It _is _kind of my fault…"

"Huh?" Finally Riku glanced up at the source of the voice beside him. What he saw, honestly, took his breath away… A pair of long ivory legs reached down from a short black skirt wrapped around hips that were currently stuck in the air while the owner of said legs was bent over picking up the loose pieces of broken glass.

"I said that it's kind of my fault…" the girl craned her neck around her ankles to face Riku. He recognized her as their waitress from earlier, but suddenly found no words to even acknowledge her presence… or her help with picking up the glass.

"Oh… uh… T-thanks…" he stuttered as he quickly averted his eyes to the floor. _Please tell me she didn't just catch me staring at her ass… _He continued to fumble with the glass and pile it in his hand, completely unaware of the thin trail of blood that oozed around his knuckles as he gathered the broken pieces.

"Hey!" he heard her exclaim as she kneeled down beside him. "You cut your hand…"

He shook his head as he stood up and dumped the pieces of loose glass on the bar top, "It's fine really…"

"Don't be ridiculous," she said as she grabbed his wrist. "Come on… I think I have some band-aids in my purse in the break room," she called over her shoulder as she pulled him through the crowd of people surrounding the bar. Riku followed behind her, silently cursing himself that he wasn't better with names. _Damn it… she's hot! How the hell did I already forget her name?! _ He realized that they had made it into a small room at the back of the bar that was currently empty of any occupants, but jam packed with boxes from floor to ceiling. She led him over to a small round table in the middle of the room and motioned for him to sit down before she pulled a red purse from a locker and fished out a few bandages.

"So… you got a name?" she smirked as she sat down beside him and nodded towards his hand, "Here, let me see that…"

"Huh? Oh…" Riku lifted his hand to the table and sat it down in front of her while she started wiping away the blood with a clean damp towel. "Uh… Riku."

"What?" she stopped scrubbing and glanced at him.

"Riku… My name is Riku," he repeated. Her soft hands felt warm around his wrist and he could swear his heart rate increased the slightest bit at the physical contact. "Sorry, I know you told us your name earlier but…"

"Shai," she interrupted. "And it's okay, don't apologize. You definitely wouldn't be the first customer to forget my name."

"Oh…" Riku nodded slightly as Shai finished cleaning his hand and put two small bandages over the cut across the back of his hand. Riku just watched her, awkward silence filling the room around them as he struggled with a way to start a conversation. "So uh…"

"There!" she interjected, "Good as new!" She smiled warmly as her emerald eyes glanced up from his hand.

Riku smiled back and outstretched his hand out in front him, "Let's see…" he mumbled playfully as he admired her handy work. "Yep, looks pretty good to me!" He smirked as he plopped his hand back down on the table.

Shai smirked through long blond bangs as she relaxed into her chair. "Yeah… I think that you just might live!" she joked back.

"Right…" he smirked. "So, Shai… how long have you been waiting tables here?" _Damn… is that __**seriously **__the best pick up line I could come up with?? That's almost as bad as 'so… you come here often?'_

"Not long really. About four months." She answered back as she straightened her apron around her hips, "This was actually supposed to be my last night here."

"Really? How come?"

"Well… I was supposed to be leaving for a tournament tomorrow," she replied.

"A tournament? What kind of tournament?" Riku asked as he poked at the sides of the bandage.

"Hey," Shai pulled his fingers away from the bandage, startling Riku. "Don't do that. You'll mess up the adhesive and it won't stay on!" she scolded. Riku laughed, but before he could respond she continued, "There's a tournament held at the Olympus Coliseum every year, but…"

Riku waited patiently for Shai to finish, when she didn't, he asked, "But… what? What's wrong?"

"Well… I'm not even sure I'm going to get to go. My team backed out on me and now I don't even have a way to get there."

"Olympus Coliseum, huh?" Riku rubbed his neck as he pondered that name. He knew it from somewhere… "Oh! I think my friend Sora has fought in those tournaments before!"

"Yeah well… not that it matters now…" she mumbled as she stood up, frowning. "Sorry Riku, I need to get back to work before my boss starts yelling at me."

"Hey Shai…" Riku said as he stood up. "You know… I have a gummi ship, and if you need a ride to Olympus…"

Shai stopped in her tracks and turned around slowly to meet Riku's aquamarine gaze, "Are you offering to take me to the tournament?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes at him questionably.

"Well… yeah…" he replied as he nervously played with the edges of the bandaging again.

Shai sighed and gave him a look that plainly told him to stop messing with his hand (which he did) before she replied, "Well, that's very sweet of you. But I have to have at least two other people on my team to be able to enter and…"

"I'll be on your team!" Riku interrupted eagerly. "So will Sora… And I'm sure Kairi will start in with her whole 'I'm not a damsel-in-distress' crap and enter too!"

Shai giggled at Riku's pitch as he imitated Kairi's voice, "Well… okay then! If you can promise me that your friends will enter the tournament with us, then I can promise you the trophy…"

"Oh really?" Riku narrowed his eyes playfully while he walked across the room to stand beside her. "The trophy huh? Alright then… a promise it is!" he extended his hand.

She glanced down at his outstretched hand before looking back up at him, "Meet me here tomorrow morning at sunrise. The tournament starts in two days, so we need to get to Olympus and start training." With that she turned on her heels and walked out the door back into the busy bar, leaving Riku standing there with his hand still outstretched in front of him awkwardly.

"Um… okay then… See you tomorrow morning." Riku mumbled to himself as he lowered his hand back to side and followed her out the door.

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"I can't believe you guys are leaving already! You've barely been here a week!" Yuffie whined as the group waited outside the bar for the blond waitress.

"We'll come back Yuffie!" Kairi smiled as she hugged her ninja friend. " Promise!"

"Oh, ok." Yuffie replied back sadly as she pulled out of Kairi's hug, and wrapped her arms around Sora's waist eagerly. "If you promise then…"

"Well guys… safe trip and all that…" Leon said shortly as he pulled Yuffie from her death grip on Sora. "We've got to get to the restoration site."

"Yeah," Aerith smiled warmly as she hugged Kairi and Sora, one arm wrapped around each teen. "Be safe and come back to see us soon."

"Will do!" Sora replied as he noticed Shai round the corner down the street. "Hey Riku, she's here…"

Riku's ears perked up and sure enough, Shai was making her way towards them, lugging two over-packed suitcases behind her. Her black uniform from last night was replaced with pair of grey shorts and a white spaghetti-strap shirt. He jogged over to her to help her with her bags, "Here let me get those."

"Oh… uh, thanks." She smiled as she handed him her bags while they made their way over to the group.

"Guys… you remember Shai from last night?" Riku introduced as he nodded to each member of the group respectively. "Shai, this is Kairi and Sora… Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie."

"Hi," Shai smiled at each introduction. "Sorry to be pushy guys, but we really need to get going. We have to be there by noon to sign up for the tournament, and it's a least a three hour flight."

"Oh… uh, yeah! Of course!" Kairi nodded as she turned towards Sora. "Shall we?"

Sora grinned and heaved his and Kairi's bags over his shoulder, "Of course! Let's go!" And Sora, Kairi, Riku, and Shai made their way to the gummi ship on the edge of town.

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**A/N: **Next chapter goes back to Sora and Kairi… promise!! So what do ya'll think about Shai?? I tried to make her sweet but demanding, and independent and all that. I'm trying to make her personality compliment Riku's…

I just couldn't put Riku with any of the characters already out there, so I made up my own. So let me know what ya think!! REVIEW: )


	26. Just Friends

**A/N: **Hugs and kisses to all my readers! You guys rock! Thanks for all the reviews! As promised, here is the next chapter… which _is _centered around Sora and Kairi…

Just Friends

The Olympus Coliseum, with its monstrous golden gates and larger-than-life statue warriors… its marquees of victory and walls of shame…and its arena of blood-stained dirt where many have triumphed, yet more have fallen. Just being near the ominous structure put a tingle in Sora's fingers and a grin on his face. Fond memories flooded his mind of victorious battles and meaningful friendships, and he suddenly couldn't wait to find Hercules and Phil to let them know that he would once again be fighting in the Olympus Coliseum.

Sora and Kairi walked stiffly beside each other, purposely leaving Riku and Shai several strides ahead of them. An awkward silence accompanied their walk, and Kairi averted her eyes in sideways glances ever so often to find Sora walking with his hands shoved in his pockets and his eyes staring straight ahead of him. However, she couldn't help but notice the goofy grin accompanying his walk and she narrowed her eyes at him and smiled, "Sora… if I didn't know any better, I would think that you were excited about this!" she joked.

"Kairi! I can't help it…" Sora replied eagerly. "I finally get to fight in the Olympus tournaments as a _real_ hero!"

Kairi squinted her eyes in thought and then remembered Sora's tales of 'junior heroes' and Phil's refusal to acknowledge 'a real hero when he saw it' (as Sora and Donald had put it…). "Sora, what are you talking about? You've all been a real hero in my eyes…"

Sora was a little taken back by Kairi's sudden compliment, but he quickly regained his composure, "Oh, uh… T-thanks," he answered before flashing his classic cheesy grin.

"Come on guys!" Shai called out from a few feet ahead of them, "Get the lead out! I don't want to be the last team to sign up!" Sora rolled his eyes as he and Kairi picked up their pace a little to catch up to Shai and Riku.

The Coliseum gates were packed with contestants, each team impatiently awaiting the start of the tournament. Sora instantly recognized some of the teams of heartless that sat around the entry, and he instinctively wrapped his fingers around the back of Kairi's elbow and pulled her closer to him as they made their way past them.

Kairi jumped a little at Sora's sudden impulse and she turned to him questionably, "Sora? What are you doing? Is everything okay?"

"Huh? Oh… yeah," Sora blushed a little and loosened his grip on Kairi's elbow as they neared the sign-up table just inside the battle arena. "Sorry Kai, I just don't trust these heartless teams…" he muttered in response.

Kairi nodded understandingly before focusing her smile on the chocolate brown eyes sitting behind the sign-up table. "Hey guys! Welcome to the Olympus Coliseum. Are you here to sign up for the tournament?"

"Uh… y-yeah," Kairi stuttered softly at the young tan face smiling back at her. She averted her eyes to her friends briefly before meeting his gaze again. Sora grit his teeth as his heart seemed to pound more fiercely in his chest with each pearly white smile the guy behind the counter gave Kairi.

"Cool!" the young man shoved his dirty blond hair out of his eyes and pulled a clip board out from a box under the desk. "I just need to get some information from you," he replied. "And, of course… there's the 500 munny sign-up fee."

"Oh…" Kairi's smile fell a little and she turned to Shai. "Shai, you didn't say anything about a sign-up fee. I'm afraid we don't have any munny."

"Don't worry about it, Kairi!" Shai smiled wildly as she flashed a handful of gold coins. "What do you think I've been working at that crummy old bar for the past four months for?" Shai handed the munny to the worker, "Here, I think this should cover the sign-up fee and our room and board."

"Alright!" the guy replied, taking the munny and putting it in a metal box. "Ok, so I just need you guys to fill out these release forms and we're all set!" He handed them a stack of four clipboards and motioned to a set of tables not far off, "You can sit over there to fill them out. And when you're done, I should have the keys for your rooms ready. Will two rooms be enough?"

"Yeah, that should work fine," Riku answered before nudging Sora in the ribs and raising his eyebrows up and down a few times.

Sora and Kairi rolled their eyes simultaneously, "Don't worry Kai, you and Shai can take one room and Riku and I will take the other." Sora leaned down and whispered assuredly.

"Oh, of course!" Kairi laughed along as the four friends made their way over to the group of tables, but not before one of her smiles found their way across the sign-up table again.

"_Hey, Fuck-up… That sure looked like the smile that she used to give __**you.**__" _

Sora cringed, and he felt his face heating up as he clenched his fists at his sides. He glared at the blond behind the counter momentarily before following his friends to the group of tables. "Shut up…" he muttered under his breath when he was out of ear-shot.

"_Hey… don't get mad at me, Fuck-up! __**You're **__the one who lied to her and broke her heart!" _

"I said, shut up!" Sora growled…

…only to get three startled expressions from his friends as he sat down at the table. He bit his tongue as he realized how loud he had retaliated against the shadow's voice. A voice, that he reminded himself, only _he_ could hear…

"Uh, Sora?" Kairi asked, he forehead wrinkling in concern. "Who are you talking to?"

"Oh… um…" Sora stammered as he darted his eyes towards Riku helplessly. "I was uh… talking to…"

"M-me!" Riku answered eagerly. "He was uh… talking to me. Right Sora?"

"Yeah," Sora smiled sheepishly. "Riku and I were just, uh, joking around. That's all!"

Kairi narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the two boys before sighing and handing out the clip boards. "Here… just… fill these out, would ya?"

"Sure thing!" Sora replied as he grabbed the clipboard out of her hand and began scribbling his name across the top of the sheet. As he marked his initials down a long column of boxes he paused, "Hey… what the hell does 'dismemberment' mean?"

"It means that, during the course of battle, you might get… disfigured," Kairi answered without looking up from her clipboard.

"Disfigured?"

"Sora… just sign the damn form so we can get out of here!" Riku scowled.

After a few minutes, the four friends were finished with their release forms and Kairi collected them before they made their way back over to the sandy blond crop-top at the sign-up table.

"Here," she smiled sweetly as she handed him the forms, again causing Sora's heart to beat furiously.

"Oh! Thanks," he said taking the forms. "Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Shai…" he muttered to himself as he scribbled their names on the master roster. "Alright guys, you're all set. Here's the keys to your two rooms, and I even managed to get you adjoining rooms… so there will be a door connecting them." He responded as he handed Sora and Kairi each two keys. "The preliminary rounds start tonight at six, but _your_ first round is tomorrow morning at nine. Here's a copy of the schedule and there will be a completed roster available tonight after five. My name is Tetsu, and I'm the tournament coordinator. So, if you guys need anything," he smiled another pearly grin at Kairi before handing her a card, "…here's my card. Feel free to call any time."

Sora growled in his throat and glared daggers at the chocolate brown eyes twinkling at Kairi as he suddenly found himself wishing very much that he would get a round against Tetsu tomorrow in the preliminaries…

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Sora stood in front of the hotel door, pacing back and forth, hands shoved in his back pocket in an attempt to keep them at bay. On his way over, he had rehearsed a hundred times what he was going to say when he got here, now the words were jumbled up in his head and none of them made any sense anymore. He glanced back down at his watch 5:30, he only had 30 minutes before the first round of the preliminaries started. He sighed… _Ok, here it goes… _He pulled his hand out of pocket tentatively…

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"So… Kairi, mind if I ask you a question?" Shai asked as she spread herself out on one of the double beds, her fingers interlaced behind her head and her feet dangling loosely off the edge of the sheets.

Kairi stopped what she was doing and poked his head around the wall separating the vanity from the rest of the room, "Sure Shai. What's on your mind?"

Shai turned to her side to face Kairi and propped her head up with her elbow, her long blond bangs hanging loosely in her emerald green eyes. "What's up with you and that Sora guy? Are you guys dating, or friends, or what?"

"Oh um…" Kairi stepped around the corner and sat down on the end of the bed opposite of Shai. "We're just friends…" she answered slowly, not noticing the melancholy intonation laced in her words.

Shai raised her eyebrows questionably, as if she were going to object, but then just shrugged her shoulders and rolled back onto her back, "Could've fooled me…" she mumbled under her breath as a light knock came from the front door.

Kairi quickly got up and crossed the room to answer the door, grateful for the interruption of the conversation she wasn't really sure she wanted to have with someone that she barely knew. _The only one I really want to talk about my problems with just happens to be the one that my problems are currently centered around… _she thought as she pulled open the door.

…_and speak of the devil… _"Hey Sora," she greeted the tall brunette standing in the doorway. "What's up?"

"Hey Kai…" Sora answered nervously. "I was just wondering… I mean, if you aren't doing anything right now… which if you are, don't feel like you have to come… but the preliminary rounds start in a little while… and I was bored… and I thought maybe you were bored, too… and…"

"Sora?" Kairi crossed her arms across her chest and smiled playfully at his stuttering, "Are you trying to ask me if I want to go watch the preliminaries with you?"

"Uh… y-yeah…" Sora answered, warm crimson rising in his cheeks as he smiled sheepishly. "I mean if you don't already have plans…"

Kairi shook her head, "Nope. No plans… I'd love to go with you. Just let me tell Shai that I'm leaving. Meet me in the lobby in five?"

Sora grinned, "Yeah Kai! See ya in five!"

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**A/N: ** Ohhh Sora… He's just too darn cute for his own good! Lol

So yeah, we are slowly building back up with Sora and Kairi, and it's starting with a date!… so what did you guys think?? I'm having some issues with how to start up the actual tournament, so if you guys have any suggestions of who they should fight in the battles or whatever… let me know!!

Thanks! AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW: )


	27. SeaSalt Deception

**A/N: **Ok… I feel really bad. I promised someone last week that I would recommend his fics in my next update (which was supposed to be last chapter)… And my short-term memory is clearly fried, so of course… I forget. SO! I recently started editing for this guy, and his fics are really cool… so read them and leave him some reviews please: )

His screen name is: "Thisismypennameok"

OK, so now that I've got that off my chest… here's the next chap!

Sea-Salt Deception

Jealousy... Not something that is easily ignored or put aside. It's sure to make its presence known as it pinches at the nerves in your fingers and blurs your sense of reality. Funny, how jealousy causes many of the same physical manifestations as… love: the rapid and uncontrolled heart rate, the warm crimson color to rise in one's cheeks, and the total disconnection from reality. A mind once clear and grounded can easily become hazed and confused in the presence of jealousy… especially when there is a certain sinister voice that lies hidden in the depths of your mind, twisting your thoughts and perceptions…

However, one look at the glare burning in Sora's eyes as he stood in the hotel lobby and watched Tetsu and Kairi make their way towards him, and there was no mistaking it. Sora was jealous… He tried his best to smile as Kairi approached, but he could not hide the clenched jaw and the fog glazed over his cloudy blue eyes. "Hey, Kairi… you ready to go?" he asked with a forced smile, completely ignoring the chocolate eyes fixated on him in an equally burning glare.

"Sora!" Kairi replied eagerly as she motioned to their new acquaintance, "You remember Tetsu from earlier…"

"Yeah." Sora's grunt went unnoticed by Kairi as he nodded to the blond. "How's it goin?"

"Alright," Tetsu answered stiffly before quickly turning to Kairi with a relaxed expression and a flirty smile. "Well Kairi… it was great seeing you again. But I've got to get over to the preliminaries! You know… gotta do some scouting for my team, so I can see what we're up against tomorrow…"

"_Ah… so out little friend __**is **__in the tournament! Great news for you Fuck-up! Now you have a reason to beat the shit out of him!" _

_Shut up, I have no idea what you're talking about… _Sora retaliated internally.

"_Oh please… I don't have to be inside your head to know that you're jealous of the blonde!" _

_Whatever… I am __**not **__jealous of that dumb-ass. _

"_Case-in-point…" _the voice chuckled in Sora's head as Kairi suddenly turned to him, her eyes wide.

"You don't mind… do you Sora?"

"Huh?" Sora shook his head of his thoughts as he realized that Kairi was apparently asking him for a favor. "Sorry Kai, I didn't catch that…"

"You don't mind if Tetsu comes with us to watch the preliminaries, do you?" Kairi asked sweetly, her violet-blue eyes sparkling into his.

_Yes!! Of course I mind! There is __**no way **__that jerk-off is coming to watch the preliminaries with us… Forget it… no way… uh-uh… _"Sure, Kai… of course he can come!" Sora answered with a fake smile. _Dammit! She __**knows**__ I can't say 'no' when she looks at me like that! _

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'Awkward' would not begin to describe the tense air that settled around the trio as they sat in the crowded stands, pretending to watch the battles taking place below them. Kairi sat in the middle, chattering away about this and that as she heeded no attention to absence of conversation between the two boys on either side of her. Oh… how oblivious we can be when we try…

However, the silent glares and internal threats did not go unnoticed by the either Tetsu or Sora… and each deliberately avoided the other as they tried to listen to the chattering redhead between them.

_There is something up with this guy… I don't know what it is, but I know that I'm going to find out… _Sora schemed quietly to himself as Tetsu winked and smiled yet-another perfect pearly grin at Kairi. Sora's heart raged inside of him and he rolled his eyes.

"Well, I think I'm going to run to the concession…" Tetsu said suddenly as he stood up and turned to Kairi, "Kairi, would you like anything?" he asked smoothly.

"Oh… no thank you," Kairi replied sadly, "I'm afraid I didn't bring any money with me."

Just as Sora opened his mouth to tell her that he would be glad to lend her a few dollars if she wanted something, Tetsu smiled warmly at her and beat him to it…

"Please, let me buy you something. What would you like? A drink, popcorn, ice-cream?"

Sora snapped his mouth shut as Kairi's eyes brightened and she smiled her gratitude, "I would love a sea-salt ice-cream!"

_What?! He can't buy her a sea-salt ice-cream! That… that was __**my**__ surprise for her back in Radiant Garden! How… how could she! _

"Sea-salt ice-cream it is then!" Tetsu answered before turning towards the concession.

As Tetsu disappeared in the crowded stands, Sora crossed his arms across his chest and mumbled to himself quietly among the dull roar of cheers and yelling.

"Sora? Is something wrong? You seem…. tense." Kairi asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Oh yeah…" Sora replied angrily, "Everything is just fine." Sarcasm laced throughout his expression.

Kairi frowned, a little hurt by Sora's angry reply, she opened her mouth to tell him she wasn't convinced when he suddenly stood up. "I'm going to go… to the bathroom." Sora mumbled, "I'll be right back…"

Sora quickly pushed his way through the crowd of screaming fanatics without looking back, leaving Kairi confused and alone. He walked around the crowded arena aimlessly, anger, jealousy, betrayal… Sora was stoic and silent on the outside, but inside… _How could she do that! She knows how I feel about her! And she invites this jerk to come with us… it was __**supposed **__to be just the two of us! Then she flirts with him right in front of me and even asks him for a freaking sea-salt ice-cream!! Maybe I should just get them a paupou fruit and knife, then she can cut my heart out and then have her happily-ever-after with that… that… _

"Tetsu?"

Sora's ears picked up at the feminine voice calling out behind him, he looked up to see Tetsu only a few strides ahead of him. He quickly ducked behind a large golden fire pit before he was seen as a dark haired girl behind him ran up ahead, trying to get Tetsu's attention by yelling his name… It almost looked like he was trying to ignore her the way his pace quickened and he ducked his head…

Finally she caught up to him, and she grabbed his elbow. Sora could hear them talking but he couldn't hear what she was saying. He quietly snuck around a stack of tournament posters to get closer…

"I thought you said that you had to work tonight?" the girl asked softly.

"Felice… I _am _working!" Tetsu answered angrily.

The girl, now identified as Felice, frowned. "Well then, why are you here? Shouldn't you be getting stuff ready for the tournament?" she asked timidly.

"I'm the fucking tournament coordinator, Felice! Where the hell else would I be??" Tetsu retorted forcefully, obviously annoyed at the girl's questioning.

"Sorry… I just thought you would be in your office." Sora saw the girl's eyes drop and her shoulders droop… her stature and posture made Sora think that maybe this wasn't the first time she had been yelled at like that…

Suddenly, Tetsu's demeanor changed. His eyes softened and his body relaxed as he placed a hand on the girl's shoulders, "Hey baby… I'm sorry. I'm just stressed out. This is the first tournament in the new arena, and I just want it to be perfect," he lied.

The next thing Sora saw almost put him over the edge… Tetsu wrapped his arms around the girl's waist and pulled her into a kiss. He saw Tetsu break from the kiss and lean down to whisper something in the girl's ear that made her giggle.

"So I'll see you tonight, then?" Felice asked seductively.

"You know it!" Tetsu agreed before slapping his hand across the girl's backside and turning back towards the concession stand, hollering fake orders and charges at the attendants.

Sora felt a fire light inside of him as he glared at the shaggy blond spikes standing at the counter.

"_Well well well…" _the shadow snickered, _"Looks like your little Princess isn't the only one getting the royal treatment from Mr. Blondie over there…" _

Sora clenched his fists as he stood up from his hiding place, "Well, I hate to ruin his plans, but nobody hurts Kairi without answering to me first!" he replied as he walked in long decisive strides towards the concession counter, cracking his knuckles and clenching his jaw.

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No sense trying to deny it… Kairi did feel a little guilty for invited Tetsu along, when it was clear that Sora didn't want him to go. However, Tetsu was cute… and she _was _still feeling the need to 'get back' at Sora a little for breaking her heart. But… she knew that adding to Sora's pain and burden would only inevitably add to her own.

So… Kairi sat in the crowded stands, silently debating her next move. Should she sit and wait for Sora and Tetsu to come back, so that they could return to their awkward small talk while she tried desperately to chatter her discomfort away? Or… should she run after Tetsu, apologize for Sora's rude behavior and suggest they do this 'some other time'? Or… should she run after Sora and tell him she was sorry and see if he wanted to ditch Tetsu and go watch a movie?

"Oh, Kairi, how do you always get yourself into these situations?!" she huffed as she stood up.

"What situations?"

Kairi jumped at the familiar voice behind her as she smiled at her recent roommate, "Shai… you startled me!" she exclaimed as she sat back down.

"So, where's Sora? I thought you were here with him??" Shai smirked as she sat down beside her redheaded friend.

"Oh… um…" Kairi smiled nervously, "That's kind of what my situation is…"

Shai raised her eyebrows questionably, "You have my attention…"

"Well… as I was walking down to meet Sora. I kind of ran into Tetsu… and… well…"

"You didn't…" Shai's smile dropped and Kairi blushed and buried her face in her hands. "Oh my god… you did!"

"I invited him to come with me and Sora to the preliminaries. I feel really bad, Shai. I know Sora didn't want to him to go… and truthfully, I don't really think I wanted him to come either. But I just… I panicked. It was really awkward…" Kairi explained ashamedly.

"And now Tetsu's at the concession getting me an ice-cream that I know Sora is upset about me sharing with Tetsu. I don't know what I was thinking!" Kairi ran her fingers through her hair.

Shai sighed and stood up, "Well… just let me be the one to point out the obvious… You've known Sora how long?"

"Over ten years…" Kairi answered without hesitation.

"And you've been best friends…"

"Just as long…" She answered again without looking up from her feet.

"Right… and you've been in love with him…"

"What?" At that Kairi glanced up from her hands, shocked and blushing.

Shai smiled, "Oh come on. You can't fool me… Sora maybe… but not me. I know what's going on here."

Kairi moaned loudly and buried her face in her palms again, "God!"

"So… how long??" Shai asked impatiently.

Kairi sighed and lifter her face hesitantly from her hands, "About two years. We… we shared something important… and I guess it finally made me realize my feelings for him. But, well…. Things have been a little…. complicated… lately."

"Look Kairi…" Shai sighed as she stood up, "I know that you don't know me very well… and you probably would rather talk about this with someone else…" Kairi opened her mouth to object, but Shai hushed her with her hand and went on, "But… I do know that Sora means a lot more to you than you let on. And, even if things may be… 'complicated'… I definitely know that his friendship means more to you than some fling."

Shai smiled warmly. "That's what I think… take it or leave it! Now… if you'll excuse me, I'm supposed to be meeting Riku here somewhere." She said over her shoulder as she climbed the stands, searching for a flash of silver among the dozens of bodies around them.

Kairi sat, mulling over Shai's words silently before standing up and pushing her way through the crowd of people, a smile gracing her features as a new resolve set in her intentions.

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**A/N: **Man! Sora's pissed, huh? And Tetsu has a girlfriend… and about to get his ass kicked! Hehe… and what did Kairi decide?

REVIEW: )

And don't forget… Thisismypennameok

And Fall Back by Brightshadow 5 is still an awesome fic!


	28. Just One Swing

**A/N: **So… I gotta give a lot of credit to Brightshadow 5 for this chap, because he gave me some great ideas!! So prepare yourself for some serious darkness… Anyways, kudos to him and thanks and all that: )

The parts in bold and centered are from Sora's first surrender to darkness, when he attacked the shadow and then attacked Kairi… they are phrases that the shadow used when they first fought on the gummi ship on the way to Disney Castle… Chapter 6, I think…

Disclaimer: Damn… haven't done one of these in like 10 chapters. I don't… Never will… Happy?

Just One Swing

_**Anger, hatred, fear, lust, guilt, jealousy... I know all your heart's hidden secrets…**_

The Coliseum Arena faded into the background, the crowd blurring into grey lines on the edge of Sora's periphery as he made his way over to the pale blond that reflected in his darkening sapphire glare. Each step Sora made etched into the ground like a print, leaving dark sticky footprints in his wake. His fists clenched so tight, his knuckles blanched white and his fingernails dug into the flesh of his palm in little crescent shaped imprints. The black glare that emitted from his usual carefree blue eyes pierced straight through the crowd of random faces, and all Sora saw was Tetsu. Surprisingly, even the snickering voice in Sora's head was blocked from his consciousness. Tetsu… with the flirty smile and deceiving chocolate brown eyes that would inevitably pay for their promiscuity. All Sora wanted was one swing… one swing to knock that pearly white grin off that bastard's face and leave him with a bloody nose and broken dignity. Then he would go find Kairi and suggest they ditch the preliminaries and find something else to do. Just one swing…

_**Yes Sora! You feel it, don't you? Feel the anger giving you strength! The hatred giving you power!**_

Sora's dark presence and piercing glare went completely unnoticed by Tetsu as he smirked and stared at the young attendant that was bent over the ice-cream cooler, fishing through the dozens of flavors looking for the blue-green wrapper with the words 'sea-salt' etched across it. In fact, the blond was so preoccupied with the young girl's curvy hips and long legs that he barely felt the cold fingers tapping on his shoulder irately. In his dreamy distant smirk, he turned towards the source of the tapping absentmindedly.

_**Yes Sora… use that anger and hatred you have for me…**_

… only to have Sora's strong fist collide with the side of his jaw in a powerful punch that knocked him into the counter and ricocheted him to the dirt ground, dark red blood already oozing from the thin cut at the corner of his mouth. Sora's fist was more than enough to knock Tetsu out of his flirtatious façade, and he grabbed at the dark purple stain already bruising his jaw line. "What the fuck!" He grabbed at the counter for support and clumsily pulled himself to his feet as Sora continued to glare at him through darkening irises. "What the hell is your problem?!"

_**It feels good, doesn't it? To be able to use your hatred to fuel your control...**_

"That's for Kairi…" Sora growled, unaware of the black pooling smoke that was collecting at his feet in a cloud of darkness. He took a determined step towards the blond, the smoke trailing up his body and licking at his fingertips compellingly. He grabbed Tetsu by the collar of his shirt, his blackening stare boring holes in the back of Tetsu's skull.

_**Ah, I see that the darkness has already started its tear on you…**_

"And this is for me…" Sora hissed, feeling the cartilage in Tetsu's nose break under his knuckles as he sent another punch flying into his face. _Just one swing…_

Tetsu reared in pain as blood spewed from his broken nose onto the front of his shirt, creating small turrets of the dark red liquid to stain his face and chest in crimson revenge. Sora released his grip on him and threw him into the counter of the concession, the shadow laughing manically in his head.

_**I am born of all the darkness you have kept in your heart over the past two and half years….**_

Sora raised his bloodstained hand to his face as Tetsu struggled back to his feet. Black wisps of smoke trailed rhythmically from the corners of Sora's eyes as he looked at his fingers and ran his thumb in circles through the thick blood, feeling the slick substance slide between the pads of his fingers.

_**Let the hatred running through your veins do it. Give in to it… It only makes you stronger…makes **__**me**__** stronger**_

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Kairi searched intently, her violet-blue eyes darting all around her as she pushed through the crowd of pestering patrons. Her new resolve shown brightly in her smile and her eagerness displayed in her pace as she hurried through the bustling arena. She clumsily pushed people aside as she squeezed past them, earning her several glares and dirty looks along the way. But, when she bumped right into the back of a tall muscular blond in a blue cape and dark brown sandals, she quickly mumbled an apology before glancing at the short half-man half-goat he was talking to.

"Oh, um… I'm sorry," Kairi said softly, all the while unable to take her eyes off the satyr.

"Not a problem at all!" the blond turned around smiling warmly, his blue eyes shining brightly underneath a maroon headband.

Kairi smiled meekly in return, only averting her eyes momentarily from the short tubby anomaly in front of her.

"You should take a picture," the miniature 'goat-man' muttered as he grabbed at the blond's elbow. "Come on Herc… we've got more battles to scout. I want you in top shape for tomorrow's fight." The satyr stole one more glare at Kairi before the two turned on their heels and headed the other direction.

Kairi didn't mean to be rude, but honestly… she had never seen a creature as bizarre. It was even weirder than a talking duck. Suddenly, she remembered Sora's description of his comrades from Olympus that he had so eagerly befriended during his travels. A tall blond demigod and a short round satyr…

"Hey! Wait a second!" Kairi called out as she chased after them. The two stopped in their tracks.

"Look… Herc doesn't sign autographs," the satyr rolled his eyes. "If you want a T-shirt they're selling them in the gift shop."

"Do you know… Sora?" Kairi interrupted, ignoring the annoyed satyr's frown.

Suddenly, the frown on the fawn's face disappeared as he pondered her question, and the blond's eyes grew wide.

"Yeah! We know him…. How do you know…" the blond trailed off. "Wait! You must be Kairi!!"

"Well yeah, but how did you…"

"Man, Sora said you were pretty…" Kairi blushed… "…you look just like how he described!" The blond stuck of his hand. "Name's Hercules," he grinned and motioned to the fawn, "The moody one's Philoctetes."

The satyr, now identified as Philoctetes, rolled his eyes at Hercules before turning his attention back to Kairi, "Call me Phil."

Kairi smiled warmly as she took Hercules' large calloused palm, "Nice to meet you both! I've heard so much about you."

"As have we!" Hercules gave Kairi's hand a friendly shake, before glancing around the trio anxiously as he released Kairi's hand. "So where is Sora, anyways? We've got a lot of catching up to do! Is he fighting in the tournament??"

"Oh um…" Kairi's smiled turned downward into a worried frown as she followed Hercules' eyes. "I was actually out here looking for him… I think I may have upset him."

Hercules turned his attention back towards Kairi with warm blue eyes. "Well, I'm sure whatever happened… Sora will forgive you. He's the most laidback guy I've ever met! I think that kid would forgive Hades if he asked him to! I mean, he's the Protector of Light! He can't hold a grudge…" Hercules laughed lightly, but noticed that Kairi's frown didn't change and her eyes shifted nervously under his words. "Am I right??" he chuckled anxiously.

Kairi sighed as her eyes fell to the dirt floor, "Hercules, I'm afraid Sora hasn't exactly been… himself… lately."

"What do you mean?" Phil asked. "He's Sora… he's a ju-, I mean… He's a hero, now!"

"Well, it's kind of hard to explain," Kairi struggled to choose her words carefully. "I think that being in contact with darkness for so long has… stained him. It's changed him, made him darker. He's just… different," she finished sadly, fighting back the tears threatening her eyes.

"Are you sure we're talking about the same Sora?" Phil laughed nervously. "Because the Sora I know would never turn… dark."

Kairi didn't say anything, but her silence spoke volumes. Phil's smile faded and Hercules rubbed Kairi's shoulder sympathetically. "Kairi, I'm sure Sora will be fine. I you want," Hercules managed a friendly smile, "we can help you find him!"

Kairi forced her mouth into a faint smile, "Thanks, I would like that."

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**With darkness comes strength… With strength comes control… Control is lost in darkness… Leaving only strength… Strength and darkness… **

Darkness… A part of the mind labeled with dark thoughts and plagued with shadowed memories. Darkness better left forgotten, which until now… had lain dormant in the back of Sora's mind. _The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes… _Previous encounters with darkness only revealed the tip of the iceberg that consisted of Sora's dark capabilities, but as he turned to leave Tetsu a pile of shattered integrity and bloody shame on the dirty blood-stained floor of the concession counter…

"This was so not worth some lousy lay…" Tetsu muttered under his breath, his words barely reaching Sora's eardrums through the crowd.

The growing crowd of onlookers all gasp in unison as Sora stopped dead in his tracks, black smoke weaving up his arms in long thin tendrils, his fingers igniting with tiny deadly bolts of white and purple lightening that danced between his fingertips. Behind him, Tetsu wiped the blood from his nose, smearing it across his face in a wave of crimson as he balled his hands into tight fists.

"_Oh Fuck-up… we can't let him get away with that…"_

"What did you say?" Sora growled as he slowly turned around to meet Tetsu's coffee-colored glare.

Tetsu sent a cold snarl Sora's direction and stepped towards him, his fists clenched tightly at his sides as blood continued to trickle down his mouth and chin. "You heard what I said," he spat out before launching a fist towards Sora's jaw.

Sora averted his chin in the opposite direction, easily dodging the clumsy assault before Tetsu's second fist collided with the other side of his face. For a few seconds, the crowd was completely silent as Sora stood frozen, his chin turned downwards, eyes closed quietly as dark red blood curled out of the cut on his lower lip and oozed down his chin.

"_Now… he's going to get it..." _

Unbeknownst to Tetsu and the onlookers, the shadow's darkness was slowly igniting in Sora's core and gradually coursing through his veins to fill his body with rage. His fingertips incited with bolts of white hot lightening as the smoke that had been trailing up his limbs slowly began to encase his entire body, winding around him in a veil of ash and darkness.

Tetsu slowly began to back away from Sora, his eyes wide in fear as the crowd surrounding them began to dissipate. Some people stayed to watch in horror as the young brunette stood eerily still, as they eagerly awaited his next move.

Suddenly, Sora's eyes shot open and looked on Tetsu's face in a sinister stare. His usual clear blue eyes… eyes that had seen pain and destruction, and the downfall of thousands on the blade of his weapon… his eyes had turned completely white, only a thin line of violet encircling his line of vision.

His translucent glare sent a chill down Tetsu's spine and the few onlookers that were left stood paralyzed and speechless. The dirt floor cracked under Sora's feet as he stepped towards Tetsu, black flames igniting in his wake. "This ends now." Sora's voice boomed throughout the arena, reverberating off the crowd like a siren.

Tetsu drew a deep breath and lowered himself into a fighting stance. "Bring it on jackass!" he hissed.

Sora snickered at Tetsu's attempt at intimidation as he wiped at the blood still oozing from his lip, smearing it across the back of his hand in a long trail of scarlet that quickly obscured behind a cloud of darkness.

"_You heard the guy, Fuck-up… I believe he wants you to 'bring it on'…" _the shadow snickered.

Tetsu swung his fist in a fast uppercut, narrowly missing his target as Sora quickly backpedaled to dodge the blow. Another clumsy swing missed Sora's jaw as Tetsu growled in frustration before Sora's hard fist collided with his stomach, causing him to double over. While clutching his stomach, Sora grabbed Tetsu under the chin and forcefully pulled him up to eyelevel. "Kairi is _not _just some "lousy lay"," he growled, darkness dripping from his words.

Tetsu's wide brown eyes met Sora's cold white and violet glare. "Right… And I guess you would know from experience…" Tetsu mocked, his words barely passing the knot in his throat created by Sora's grip around his neck.

In one smooth motion, Sora threw him several feet into the air before kicking him in the stomach, sending him flying into a pile of wooden boxes several feet away.

Sora closed his eyes and sighed heavily as the darkness slowly dripped from his frame and saturated into the dirt floor beneath him. He could feel the dark power dissipating from his muscles as he slowly breathed in and out, filling his lungs with the smell of blood and dust. Satisfied that Tetsu had gotten _most _of what he deserved, Sora opened his sapphire eyes and just as the last veil of black soaked into the ground, he turned to leave his foe a pile of blood and broken boxes.

"Sora! Watch out!!"

Sora's ears instantly perked up at the sound of Kairi's voice and he looked up to see her locks of beautiful crimson, unaware of the worried expression set in her face or the hesitancy in the words she had yelled at him. He was still lost in her features when he felt his legs give out from under him causing him to get a face-full of bloodstained dirt. He moved to get up, only to have a heavy foot meet between his should blades to push him back to the ground. Sora grunted as the breath was knocked out him. Suddenly, he felt the cold steel of a blade on the back of his neck, threatening to break skin as the tip dug into his flesh.

"Nobody fucks with me and lives to tell the story." Tetsu's voice came from behind the blade and Sora bit the inside of his cheek as he tried to get up again. This time Tetsu's foot pushed him back down as the edge of the blade ran along the side of his neck, leaving a long thin line of blood as it pierced the skin superficially.

"_Just say the word Fuck-up… I can end this… Just say the word!!" _the shadow sneered.

Just as Sora opened his mouth…

Kairi turned to Hercules frantically, tears in her eyes, "Do something!! He's going to kill him!"

Hercules nodded and ran after Tetsu, tackling him to the ground. The force of Hercules' blow combined with his previous bruises from Sora knocked Tetsu unconscious. Hercules stood up and kicked Tetsu's sword several feet away as Kairi quickly ran over to help Sora up.

"Sora! Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" he mumbled as blood slowly trickled from the cut along his neck. His clothes were dirty and dotted with several large splotches of blood. The cut on his lip had finally started clotting, but a faint purple bruise was visible along his jaw line. Kairi looked at him sympathetically as he answered, "Yeah Kairi, I'm fine. How about you, are you alright?"

"Don't be ridiculous, of course I'm okay Sora…" she answered as she handed him a small green vial. "Here, drink this and let's go get you cleaned up."

_Just one swing…. _Sora thought as Hercules grabbed his arm and helped him back to the rooms. _Just one swing…_

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**A/N: **So… you know, review and all that… Next chapter starts the tournament, so it's still not too late to give me your ideas for opponents and all that if you want. If not, that's fine too…


	29. The Roster

**A/N:** Ug… I know, I know… This update is several days overdue. It's been a while since there's been a week between updates… Actually, this might be a first now that I think of it. Sorry! I went out of town for the 4th and I've had to work almost everyday since I got home. Excuses excuses, huh? Lol You guys can thank Thisismypennameok and his PM telling me to get my butt in gear for the update today.

Anyways, I have another suggestion for you guys to read!! "Giving In" by Silent Blade.

It's really good, and I should know! I've been editing for the guy: ) But seriously… he needs reviews… so read it and let him know what ya think, please!!

Now that that's out of the way… here's the next chapter. Hope it's worth the wait!

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The Roster

The Olympus Arena pulsated with tangible surges of energy, the stands crawling with bystanders and fans, each eagerly awaiting the start of the second day of preliminary rounds. Somehow, the four friends managed to squeeze through the mass of bodies surrounding the stands. Sora was eager to start their first round in a little while, and he couldn't help but look forward to meeting up with Tetsu and his team in the later preliminary rounds this afternoon. He was relieved to get back to their rooms the previous evening and find the final roster slid underneath each door. Their first preliminary rounds were against some minor Heartless teams of Shadows and Soldiers, and few Large Bodies and a couple of Neo-Shadows. Their last round of the day had turned out to be none other than Tetsu and the other three members on his team. Sora determined they would make a perfect warm up for the semi-finals and finals the following day.

The dark violet bruise on Sora's jaw was barely noticeable against his tanned skin, but it was a painful reminder to him and his friends of his 'disagreement' (as Sora had put it) with Tetsu the day before. The cut across the side of his neck had healed nicely, and only a thin line marked the spot where Tetsu's blade had drew blood. Sora couldn't help but walk towards the arena with the 'you-should-see-the-other-guy' mentality. _I'm sure that Felice girl had quite a night cleaning him up… _Sora chuckled to himself.

'_It won't be the last night, eh Fuck-up? You think I fed you power yesterday… that was only a preview of what I can give you!' _The shadow snickered devilishly.

Sora scowled, "Shut up," he muttered under his breath, earning him a sideways glance from Kairi.

The worried expression tied in Kairi's stance and the concern laced in her features did not go unnoticed by Sora as they made their way over the battle arenas. Rather, he tried his best to ignore her worry as he smiled eagerly and continued to ramble on and on about the tournament and trophies. Kairi's soft 'uh-huh's and 'oh really's were enough to satisfy Sora into thinking that she had completely forgotten about the fight with Tetsu the day before, and everything was back to normal.

Riku rolled his eyes and nudged Shai in the ribs. "This is Sora's way of pretending that nothing happened yesterday," he muttered under his breath. "What he doesn't realize is that Kairi's not buying it…"

"Ignorance is bliss…" Shai smiled warmly, causing her emerald green eyes to sparkle behind her long blond bangs that hung loosely from her ponytail. Riku felt his stomach flip-flop wildly as he smiled back, trying desperately to subdue the warm crimson he could feel rising in his cheeks. _'Damn it! Why does she have this effect on me! Maybe I'm getting sick. I should see a doctor after this tournament is finished…' _

"Sora?"

Sora stopped his rant on which victory dance he planned on using in which battles and turned to realize that Kairi had stopped walking and was now several strides behind the rest of the group.

Riku and Shai stopped a couple feet ahead of Sora and turned around questionably. Riku opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but Sora interrupted before he could say anything.

"You two go on ahead, we'll catch up." Sora smiled assuredly. "We'll meet you guys outside the master roster before the fight."

Riku and Shai nodded to the brunette before turning on their heels, "Remember, nine o'clock is our first round. Don't you dare be late!" Shai called over her shoulder as Sora nodded and turned back to Kairi.

Sora couldn't help but compare Kairi to a lost child in a crowded mall as he approached her. She stood awkwardly with her arms across her chest, almost hugging herself, with her face knitted in apprehension. Her white combat outfit that Riku had bought for her did little to hide her uneasiness and only added to her angelic fragile features at the moment. Sora openly admitted that she looked absolutely stunning in the tight soft leather pants that hugged her hips oh so nicely. He quietly thanked Riku for that particular shopping trip as the friends had grouped in the hotel lobby for breakfast less than an hour ago.

However, her uneasiness was more than apparent and Sora suddenly felt a pang of guilt as her sad cerulean eyes met his and he realized that he was more than likely the cause of her current state.

"Kairi… Is everything ok?" he asked soothingly, his face softening in an attempt to ease her anxiety.

"Sora, what happened yesterday?" she asked softly, her voice light and airy and her pleading eyes never leaving his sapphire stare.

"Oh…" Sora gulped, "That…" Suddenly, Sora wanted to be anywhere in the universe but here. He'd rather fight Xemnas and Xehanort two-on-one than tell Kairi that he had beaten the bloody pulp out of some guy because he couldn't control his jealousy or anger. "Kairi… Tetsu… He…" Sora stuttered uncomfortably, "I saw him kissing another girl, and then he said some stuff about you… I only intended to hit him once, I just…" Sora trailed off, unable to keep Kairi's stare as he glanced around nervously.

"Sora, I couldn't care less about Tetsu kissing some girl." Kairi's stature suddenly changed, her voice dropped to a stern level and she straighten up her shoulders, "I care about _you. _I'm talking about _you," _she replied as she closed some of the distance between them."What the hell happened to you yesterday?"

"Me?" Sora asked confusedly. "Kai, what are you talking about?"

Kairi sighed, her features softening, "I've never seen you like that before, Sora. It was like you couldn't control yourself. All the smoke and lightening… It… it scared me."

And there it was again… that familiar pang of guilt that lay heavy in Sora's chest. It felt like a rock in his ribcage, weighing him down and burdening his breath to the point that he couldn't even look at the redhead in front of him. He averted his gaze to his yellow sneakers and shifted uncomfortably, "Kairi, I… I'm fine."

Kairi's soft fingers connected lightly under Sora's chin as she lifted his jaw and met his eyes sincerely, "Sora, what's happening to you?" she asked softly.

'_Hey Fuck-up… this would be the part that you tell the redhead to piss off and go finish what you started with Blondie!'_

Sora cringed at the snickering voice in his head, and suddenly remembered his promise to Riku in the bathroom at the bar back in Radiant Garden. He still hadn't told Kairi about the shadow's reflection… And the way things were going, it wouldn't be long before she found out on her own. Then she would really be upset that he hadn't told her… But he couldn't burden her with his own transgressions of shadowed reflections and dark voices; it would only make her worry more…

But as Sora stood there in the chaos of Olympus Coliseum, thousands of patrons surrounding him, all he saw was Kairi. Shining crimson locks that framed her face perfectly, large violet blue eyes behind thick dark lashes, and soft rosy skin that always smelled of vanilla… The love and concern that she had for him shown brightly in her eyes like fire and he felt lost in her presence. Lost… and not at all desiring to be found.

Sora's reverie was interrupted with Kairi's sweet voice and wide violet blue eyes, "Sora, please… tell me what's going on."

He sighed before tearing his eyes from hers regrettably and glancing at his wrist watch, "Kai… It's almost time for the first round. I do have something that I want to talk to you about, but we don't really have time right now."

He saw the disappointment flash across Kairi's face and he quickly grabbed her hands in his and caught her eyes with his own, "But, I promise… nothing is going to happen to me. I'm fine! Look…" he plastered a huge pearly smile across his face and posed with his hands on his hips and his chin in the air. "Good as new! See…"

Kairi couldn't help but giggle lightly at his antics, "Sora, you are such a goof…" _How does he always know how to cheer me up? _

"And this is news to you?" Sora smirked sarcastically, still grinning.

Kairi just answered with a lighthearted laugh as Sora turned back towards the arena. "Come on!" he called over his shoulder. "Shai will kill us if we're late meeting them!"

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"Damn it!" Riku scowled at the large plywood roster, his fist colliding with the wood loudly sending small splinters flying from the impact.

Shai rolled her eyes at his typical testosterone reaction before glancing at the large official clock at the gate beside the master roster. "Where are they?!" she questioned to no one in particular. "They better not be –"

"Late?" Sora interrupted.

Shai smirked before turning around to the brunette with a sarcastic smile. "'Bout time…" she joked half-heartedly. "I was starting to think you two had gotten lost."

Sora grinned in typical Sora-fashion before his eyes wandered over to Riku's scowl accompanied by the dent in the plywood roster beside him. "What's wrong with Riku? He seems even more pissed off than usual." Sora laughed light-heartedly.

Riku walked up to him, intentionally ignoring the latter part of Sora's statement. "They changed the line up." he huffed, pointing to the roster.

"Huh?" Sora peered past his silver-haired companion, searching the board for the supposed change in the line-up. "What are you talking about? I don't see a… oh…" Sora's face fell and he sighed heavily.

The board was marked with several pieces of paper with their new opponents written neatly on each, completely obscuring the painted original opponent underneath... The same original opponents that had also been typed on the master roster that had been slid underneath their doors yesterday evening… The list that Sora still had crumpled up in one of the many pockets of his black combat outfit…. Of course, that was all _before _Sora's 'disagreement' with the tournament coordinator.

Sora pursed his lips and could feel the annoyance and anger bubbling inside of him, "You mean _Tetsu _changed the line up…" he growled, spitting out Tetsu's name like a bad seed.

It seemed that conveniently enough, Tetsu had even gone as far as completely scratching his team from the preliminaries all together. The only opportunity Sora would get to 'finish what he started' (as the Shadow had put it) would be in the first round of the semi-finals tomorrow.

"Well whoever changed it doesn't matter Sora!" Riku answered irately. "This is bullshit!"

"What's wrong with it?" Kairi asked as she peeked over Sora's shoulder on her tip toes, steadying herself with her hand on his arm, her cerulean eyes scanning the huge board in front of them.

"Oh nothing…" Riku answered sarcastically as he waved his hand in the air and turned back towards Shai. "It's just that now we're fighting basically all the hardest Heartless teams in the preliminaries! Even if we do make it to the semi-finals tomorrow, we'll be way too tired to do anything about it!!" He moaned as he turned back towards the group.

"Oh, we'll make it to the semi-finals." Sora replied darkly, his eyes fixated in front of him on an unseen target. His hands subconsciously balled into fists at his side as his glare lifted to the master roster. "That I'm sure of…"

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**A/N: **I know, I promised the start of the actual tournament for this chapter. Sorry! (Man I just realized that I don't keep a whole lot of my promises to you guys) hehe… (grins)

But the idea of Tetsu changing the line up of the tournament came to me and I had to play it up. Haha… Tetsu's a lil scared of Sora now, huh? So scared he even went through the trouble of trying to get rid of Sora's team in the preliminaries with all the hardest Heartless teams…. Hm, could be interesting… : )

So you know… Review and all that jazz!


	30. Preliminaries

**A/N: **So, I can't help but feel guilty about that last chapter. It was dull and lifeless and yes… it definitely lacked in action. Basically it was filler, and that is what fillers do.

So here's how this chapter is going to work… there will be three preliminary battles that I actually write and each one will be from the POV of a different person (Sora, Riku, and Kairi) and they will each have a different theme of sorts… I originally wanted to do one for Shai too… but I decided that after four pages of no dialogue, you guys might get kind of bored of the writing style…. I know the heartless teams don't sound that difficult, but it was kind of hard to work that part in and still keep the theme idea alive…

Hope this update makes up for the last! Happy reading….

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THE PRELIMINARIES

_**Y**__ellow__**E**__yes_

Yellow eyes. No less than a hundred yellow eyes, each pair accompanied with black dancing antennas that probed the air, searching for prey. Sickly and blank, no emotion betrayed in the golden yellow eyes that stared at him from across the arena. Eyes that had stalked Sora senseless on more than one occasion, desperately groping for his beating heart in their bloodlust craze. Eyes that once chilled him to the bone and haunted his dreams now set his senses afire and ironically had even become a part of him. The high that he got off of those sickly yellow eyes invigorated his entire being, heightening his reflexes to the point that he thought he might literally jump out of his skin.

When the flag dropped in the middle of the dirt arena signaling the start of the battle, Sora was gripping the hilt of Oathkeeper so tight that he deprived his fingertips of vital blood flow and they tingled from the ischemia. Or perhaps… they tingled from something other than their need for oxygen…

Was it possible that Sora's fingers were itching for a battle so badly that he could physically feel their pleading underneath his fingerless gloves? Or, maybe something else was itching for battle…

Sora's shadowy reflection shown ominously in sickly yellow eyes as his Oathkeeper sliced through the first Shadow, sending puffs of black smoke and ash to mark where it once stood, those yellow eyes being the last feature to dissolve into thin air as the Shadow dissipated around them. Sora smirked to his dark reflection as the pair of yellow eyes finally vanished in the haze of smoke.

Around him, Sora's friends and teammates were too busy with their own pairs of yellow eyes to notice the out-of-place smile that accompanied each swing of Sora's Keyblade. The Oathkeeper felt light in his palm and he swung it skillfully, vanquishing Shadows right and left with the silver blade. The way he was slicing through yellow eyes with Oathkeeper, no bystander would realize how much he missed the powerful energy that flowed through him with the Keyblade of Hearts.

Sora quickly realized that where one pair of yellow eyes would fall, two more pairs were quickly reborn from the ashes. It seemed his efforts were in vain as the yellow eyes quickly doubled in numbers around them. But, he continued to slice through shadowy flesh, Oathkeeper ripping through the Shadows like butter. As the sea of yellow eyes slowly decreased in numbers, Sora could almost see their first victory of the day on the edge of his periphery and it sent his smile to widen on his face. It was a minor battle, only against Shadow Heartless, but it was a victory no less. And as the last pair of yellow eyes dissolved into an ashy grave, Sora twirled his blade in his fingers, realizing that their tingling had subdued ever so slightly.

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_**B**__reath_

Breath. Her fiery breath was what fueled her assertion, and as Kairi breathed in the dust filled air, the smell of blood and sweat wrinkled her nose and gagged the back of her throat. The arena pulsated with the thousands of live spectators, each there to see the show… the delicate balance between life and fatality. Inevitably, one team would cross that line and fall into the depths of nothingness and one team would straddle that line to the dirt, victorious. The prize? Your life… the opportunity to continue existence, to continue breathing. Inhale. Exhale.

The arena was still; the sound of her steady breathing the only break in the silence around her as spectators and contestants alike held their breath in steady apprehension, readily awaiting the start of the battle. As the flag signaled the start of the fight, the stands roared to life and weapons were drawn as Heartless danced to life. Kairi's breath came in even paced rhythms that coincided perfectly with each swing of her colorful Keyblade, the large Neo-Shadows and Wight Knights dispelling ruefully under her blade with each flawlessly timed breath. Inhale. Exhale.

The longer she gripped the hilt of her colorful Keyblade, the more her confidence grew. Her attacks were fluid and controlled, like her breath, and the Keyblade swung around her in a blur of color as it slashed through Heartless insignia. Her breath filled her lungs before traveling through her muscles and bursting out of the end of her Keyblade in a wave of force and energy, each breath exploding from her core in an attack. As her breath increased under the exertion, her attacks increased in intensity until each swing contacted with the shadowy flesh of a Neo-Shadow or the tattered wrappings of a Wight Knight's mummified exterior.

As her breath increased in rate and depth, Kairi could feel her strength waning with each movement. Her stamina diminished and when the long sharp claws of a Wight Knight pierced the skin across her shoulder blade, she sucked in a sharp breath in pain before the Oathkeeper sliced through the Knight's midsection, sending it to the sky in long smoky tendrils. She turned to Sora, a 'thank you' etched into her fierce expression, before drawing a deep breath in relief.

It wasn't long until the last Neo-Shadow that had yet to have fallen was under the blade of Kairi's colorful weapon. She glared at it through thick dark lashes as it bounced nimbly in front of her, its long black claws twitching at its sides. She closed her eyes as she drew a deep breath and lunged her Keyblade forward, using her breath to propel the blade through the Neo-Shadow. She opened her eyes as the Heartless' dance suddenly paused and it plunged across the line between life and death. She smirked ever so slightly as it drew its last breath before vanishing in a puff of black smoke that curled towards the sky in vain. The stadium roared in approving applause as her friends around her danced and cheered in victory. She smiled to herself and closed her eyes, the only sound reaching her being the sound of her own breath. Inhale. Exhale.

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_**B**__lood_

Blood. Dark and viscous, flowing richly… Supplying life, yet signifying death. Blood stained the dirt floor under Riku's feet with tales of heroism and slaughter, seeping and mixing into the gritty sand in sticky pools that clung to the soles of his shoes. The second day of preliminaries was barely half way over and already enough blood had been spilt to forever stain the Coliseum battle ground. Victory and defeat: that was the story that was told in the ageless scarlet sands…

As the flag dropped, the Way to Dawn materialized at Riku's side, its power seeping into his palm and coursing through the blood in his veins. The dozen of Large Bodies and Fat Bandits waddling towards him and his friends caused him to tighten his grip on the hilt of his weapon in anticipation as he glared through long silver bangs. As Way to Dawn ricocheted off the front of the first Large Body, he grit his teeth and dodged a fire ball spat out from the Fat Bandit next to it. His blood boiled at each attempt to break the impenetrable force field that seemed to surround each oversized Heartless. Frustration turned to anger and anger to fury as Way to Dawn bounced off their bellies harmlessly, no blood drawn from his futile attempts.

Another roll to dodge a shower of flames set Riku facing the back of one very large and agitated Fat Bandit. His blood flowed with new vigor and he sneered graciously as his blade sliced through the back of the Heartless, dismissing it in a puff of smoke. His victory, however, was short lived as he was knocked to the ground with a strong blow to the back of his head.

He groaned as he pushed himself to his feet and narrowly evaded another large purple fist. He winced as he grabbed at the back of his head and brought his hand back to his face, blood smeared across his fingers and trailing down his wrist in long sticky drips. He glared back at the Large Body that had hit him, the blood on his hands smearing across the hilt of his weapon as he charged at it.

He jumped and pushed off the Large Body's engorged belly to propel him into a back flip that landed him perfectly on the backside of the jumbo Heartless. As the bloodstained blade of Way to Dawn extinguished the Heartless in a cloud of smoke, the veins in Riku's neck pulsated with revenge and he smirked at the vacant spot where the Heartless once stood.

Slowly the Heartless numbers decreased until only one Fat Bandit was left standing. Riku sneered at the beady yellow eyes as the blood on his blade dripped to the ground in long streams. In one fluid movement, he dashed forward, Way to Dawn leaving a trail of crimson in his wake as he closed in on his target. His blood ran cold as a jet of flames and cinders spurted from the Heartless' black mouth and veered straight towards him. A well-timed Blizzaga spell from Oathkeeper doused the flames and also provided enough distraction to allow Riku to dart behind the Fat Bandit. Blood splattered onto Riku's face in tiny scarlet droplets from the hilt of his weapon as he thrust it forward. Victory was assured as Way to Dawn sliced through the last Heartless and the final drops of blood soaked into the arena landscape, the final tale of triumph and fallen for the day etching into the sand along with it.

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_Confessions Untold_

Sora collapsed. The soft cushion of the firm mattress was soothing against his face as he closed his eyes and relished in the stillness surrounding him. He glanced at his watch, "Almost 10…" he acknowledged out loud to no one in particular since Riku was in the shower and the girls were more than likely collapsed on their own beds in the adjoining room. He grunted as he rolled over on his back, stretching his arms over his head in the process. "Twelve hours of fighting," he moaned as he ended his stretch and let his arms fall back to the bed wearily. It had been a long since Sora had felt this drained after a battle, and the feeling was well earned. Even his Shadow seemed to feel his weariness, as it was completely mute of sarcastic comments at the moment. Sora's exhaustion was accompanied by over a dozen victories in Olympus Coliseum for the day which had earned them the top spot in the semi-finals tomorrow.

Sora lifted his head at the sound of the bathroom door opening and nodded to Riku as he stepped out of the steam, wet hair dripping down his bare chest and soaking into the towel around his waist. (A/N: I now give all Riku fangirls permission to drool…) The purple bruises healing across his arms and chest told of how difficult their rise to the semi-finals had been and they contrasted sharply against his pale skin. But, Riku, being the fierce competitor that he is, had shown no weakness during their battles or afterwards and his aqua eyes still shown brightly with triumph.

"Shower's all yours man," Riku nodded towards the bathroom door. "I'm going to change and head over to meet Shai in the lobby for drinks."

Sora smirked and nodded understandingly as he pulled himself to his feet, "'Drinks'…. Right…."

Riku glared at Sora's shadowy reflection as he turned towards the mirror and started raking his fingers through the tangles in his wet hair. "What the hell is _that _supposed to mean?" he grumbled, wincing as his fingers got caught in his hair and pulled at his scalp.

Sora walked to his suit case and pulled out a pair of shorts and a tee shirt. "Nothing, nothing… It's just that you two seem to be spending a lot of time together." He chuckled at Riku's scowl as he struggled with his hair, "You know… I bet if you ask nicely…" he paused to give himself enough time to walk past Riku at the vanity and position himself behind the bathroom door… "…she might even let you borrow her hair brush, I'm sure it's probably pink with little hearts on it…"

"You little…" Riku lunged at the door and Sora laughed as he slammed it shut in his face. "Yeah! You better be glad I can't use the darkness portals anymore or your ass would be toast!" Riku yelled as he punched at the door jokingly.

Sora rolled his eyes as he turned the faucets on to the shower. "Whatever, just go meet your girlfriend, maybe you guys can give each other make-overs!" he yelled through the door, chuckling at his own cleverness as he threw his clothes to a pile in the floor.

"Yeah I'll make _you_ over…"

Sora could barely hear the come back as he stepped under the running water, but he laughed at his friend's defensiveness nonetheless. The hot water did wonders for his sore muscles and he could almost feel the stiffness in them swirl down the drain with the dirty water that was running from his body. _Man, I forgot how gross you get after these tournaments… _

'_You're a damn genius Fuck-up! Who would have thought that you could get dirty from rolling around in dirt and blood all day!?' _

And… the return of the Shadow's voice was evidence enough that the hot shower was doing its job. Sora rolled his eyes and mumbled the words that were quickly becoming the most spoken phrase in his vocabulary, "Shut up."

In no less than ten minutes, Sora felt like a brand new man in his clean khaki shorts and dark blue tee shirt as he sprawled back over his bed and flipped on the television. He knew that he had promised to talk to Kairi about what had been going on, but honestly he felt like he needed to give her more time to do whatever the hell it was that girls do when they shower… Plus, he wanted to relax a little before entering another heated conversation with her… Plus, he didn't really know what he was going to say… And most importantly, he was stalling… Hoping that _just maybe _she would be too tired to remember their little discussion earlier and the whole thing would just blow over…

_Knock knock_

If only he could be so lucky…

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**A/N: **Gasp! Who could it be that is knock knocking Sora's door??? Haha It's been a while since I've done a cliffhanger… I just wanted to piss off GTA Guy again. (Hides preemptively from glare of death) lol jk

So, what did you guys think of the themes?? I am positive that I will NOT be doing another chapter like this because it was hard as hell! Made my brain hurt…

So, a little business to take of… I keep getting PMs asking me if that is really a picture of me that is on my profile. And YES of course it is. Why the heck would I put someone else's picture on my profile?? So… stop asking! Arg: )

Ahem… I also have yet ANOTHER story that you guys need to read. It's by ButterscotchNoseAppraiser and it's called "Violence is the Only Answer". It's really good and he definitely isn't getting enough reviews. And my reviewers are the best ever, so I know you guys will show him some love!

Let's see… I think that takes care of that!

Hugs and kisses to all who review and much love!!


	31. Just the Two of Us

**A/N: **Well… shout-outs to my avid reviewers (you guys know who you are)! You keep this story going, if it wasn't for you… well, I would probably write it anyways, but it would definitely not be as fun!! 

Just the Two of Us

Kairi paced back and forth… forth and back… biting her tongue and wringing her hands nervously as she mustered up the courage to knock on the door. _His _door. She drew, yet another, deep breath and positioned her hand at the door… only to quickly pull it back as if it had burned her and return to her pacing. _Oh! This is ridiculous… Why am I so nervous? This is Sora!! I'm sure he'll understand. It's not like I planned on Shai leaving with Riku while I was at the vending machine downstairs and locking me out of our room!! _Irritated at her own timidity, she gripped the soda can in her hand tightly and knocked on the door with her free fist.

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_Knock knock_

Sora glanced at the door leading to the narrow hallway outside their hotel room. _That's funny… I would have thought she would use the door that connects our rooms… _

He shrugged his shoulders and climbed off of the bed. He glanced at the mirror hanging on the wall beside the television briefly, running his hands through his unruly spikes that were still damp from his shower, his glowing yellow eyes shining brightly in his reflection…. Ah, yes, his _reflection_… Sora sighed as the burden of telling Kairi about that particular development lay heavy in his chest.

The shadowy reflection curled its lips into a black grin, _"Don't even bother, no matter what your hair looks like… you still look like a Fuck-up…"_

Sora glared at the mirror before picking up the damp towel at the foot of his bed and hanging it over the mirror, his shadow reflection disappearing behind the drape of white terrycloth.

_Knock knock _

"Um… Sora? You there?" came a muffled voice from behind the door.

"Yeah! I'm coming!" Sora yelled back as he quickly checked his breath for freshness before finally answering the door. "Hey Kai!"

Kairi smiled meekly as she picked at her nails, "Hey Sora…" She shifted nervously under his gaze, silently cursing her uneasiness.

Sora wrinkled his brow at her awkwardness, "Everything okay, Kairi? You seem a little… nervous."

Kairi quickly dropped her hands to her sides and managed to smile genuinely, which put Sora's mind at ease almost instantaneously, "Yeah, of course. Can I uh… come in?"

"Oh!" Sora blushed, a little embarrassed that he hadn't invited her in yet, "Sorry… yeah come on in." He stepped aside to allow her entry before following her back into the room, shutting the door securely behind him.

Kairi walked into the room, wrinkling her nose in disgust at its more than disheveled appearance. The open pizza box on the table from last night's late night dinner… the pieces of clothing scattered on the floor, clean and dirty alike… and the piles of empty potion bottles... (A/N: that one was for you Butterscotch, let's see if you can piece that one together! lol) The room was a complete opposite of the neighboring girls' room, which was neat, clean, and organized.

Sora noticed Kairi's grimace and he hurriedly picked up several articles of clothing on his way into the room, including a couple pairs of boxers, at which he laughed nervously. "Sorry… you know. We're guys, and all," he explained lamely. Sora grinned as he dumped the pile of clothes into an empty suitcase.

Kairi just giggled and nodded her head understandingly as she sat down on the end of the bed closest to the door, which just so happened to be Sora's.

Sora glanced around the room, "Riku left to go meet Shai in the lobby…" he explained passively. "I have no idea how long he'll be gone."

Kairi smiled at the irony, "Yeah I know. Shai locked me out of our room when she left to go meet him," she answered as she rolled her half empty soda can between her palms. "I went downstairs to the vending machines, and when I got back the door was locked and Shai was gone."

Sora sat down in a chair beside the empty pizza-box-table, "So I'm guessing your key is in your room?"

Kairi stopped rolling the soda can and looked at Sora blankly, "No Sora…. I'm locked out of my room and my key is in my back pocket…" she smiled sarcastically.

Sora smirked at her comeback and put on a face of mock-hurt, "Well if you're going to hurt my feelings, you can just wait out in the hall for her!"

Kairi smiled warmly. "Actually, I was hoping I could get back in my room through that door that connects them," she replied as she motioned towards the narrow door that separated the two rooms.

"Oh," Sora stood up and walked over to the door and opened it, revealing another door behind it, "You have to unlock these from the inside… See?" he pointed at the brass circle where a doorknob would usually be. "There's no doorknob on this side."

Kairi's face fell a little and she fell back onto the bed exasperated, "So you mean I'm locked out until she and Riku get back from their date?!"

"Afraid so…" Sora answered. "And there's no telling how long they'll be gone, since our first round tomorrow isn't until after lunch. So I guess you'll just have to settle for spending time with me!"

"Oh… that makes me feel loads better!" Kairi said with a laugh, a hint of sarcasm still laced in her voice.

Sora narrowed his eyes at her playfully, "If you continue doing that, I will be forced to resort to tickling…" he smiled as he stalked towards her, his fingers wiggling out in front of him.

Kairi picked her head up off the bed just in time to see Sora's knee connect with the mattress beside her and his fingers jab into her ribs mercilessly. She immediately burst into fits of laughter, tears welling up in her eyes as she tried her best to wriggle out of Sora's grasp. "Sora! Knock it off…. Please…. Stop!!" she cried between giggles.

Sora laughed along with her and climbed onto the bed with her, his other knee straddling her thighs to keep her from getting away as he continued to tickle her without leniency. "Come on Kairi! You know the rules… you gotta say it or I'm not stopping!" he teased.

"Sora! Please!" she gasp, "I can't… I can't breathe!!"

"Just say it… Come on Kairi…." Sora grinned at his own antics as he continued to tickle her ribs.

After a few more seconds of Kairi squirming under Sora's hold on her and uncontrollable laughter, she finally gave in, "Okay! Okay! I'll say it!!!"

Sora grinned and pulled his fingers from her sides and leaned back on his heels (and consequently Kairi's knees, considering the awkward position they were both too busy laughing to realize they were currently in). He rested his hands on his thighs as he awaited her response.

Kairi pursed her lips at him and rolled her eyes, "yof betah tan riku" she muttered incoherently under her breath.

Sora perked up his eyebrows and brought a hand to his ear, "I'm sorry Kai. I didn't quite catch that…. What did you say?"

"I said…" she replied dramatically, pulling her arms across her chest, "That you are better than Riku…" Each word overly pronounced as she glared playfully at him, her warm violet eyes the only aspect of her features giving away her playfulness.

"Ah…. At?"

Kairi smirked and rolled her eyes, "at… swimming, sparring, and everything else you guys used to do to try to get my attention…" she giggled at herself for adding the part at the end.

Sora smiled at her, "And?"

"And??" Kairi looked at him confused, "Sora… that's all I'm supposed to say."

Sora laughed and shook his head, "Nope… and…. I have better hair!"

"Oh good grief!" Kairi laughed and pushed Sora jokingly, causing him to fall to the mattress beside her, grinning at his own cleverness. "You are incorrigible…"

Sora grinned at her widely, "But that's why you love me…"

As soon as the words spilled out of Sora's mouth, he immediately wished they hadn't. Love was, simply put, a touchy subject for him recently, and he feared Kairi's latest heartbreak would cloud her good humor, causing unwanted memories to once again resurface.

However, Kairi just turned her head towards him and smiled warmly. Her silence was stark and confusing at first, but soon it settled between them like an old friend, and the two just lay on the soft cushion of the mattress, staring at the ceiling and enjoying each other's company.

That was one thing about Kairi that Sora had always admired, her ability to let his shortcomings and stupidity slide with merely a passing glance. He figured she was probably used to it, but it still warmed his heart that even after all their friendship had endured, she was still able to see past his less than perfect exterior.

As Sora lay across his bed, Kairi's red hair splashing against his side, he couldn't help but notice how his heart rate seemed to increase each time she shifted her position, which would inevitably move her body closer to his. It wasn't long, though it felt like an eternity, before she was lying so close that her scent of vanilla and coconut over powered his own. Oh, how he wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let go, to run his fingers through her crimson hair and shower her in kisses. She deserved that and so much more, but his timidity and her hesitancy more than blocked his path for that, so he just lay beside her, his fingers itching for her, and a silent dialogue playing in his mind in a continuous loop… _Just do it, turn over and put your arm around her…. No, that's not what she wants. You promised just friends!... But I love her!... But you broke her heart, you don't deserve her… But she forgives me, just like she always does… You promised, __**just friends. **_

And that's ultimately what sealed the deal. He _had_ promised. Promised to be friends and not rush into anything. Promised to 'let her lead' so to speak, and most importantly, to never break her heart again.

And Sora kept his promises… Especially those that he made to Kairi.

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Riku ran his finger along the edge of his glass, his aqua eyes fixated in front of him, threatening to lull into sleep as he awaited his 'date'. His ears perked up at the sound of footsteps, and he looked up to see Shai enter the small lounge, a wide smile gracing her features. He waved to get her attention and motioned to the seat across from him. She waved back, still grinning, and he narrowed his eyes at her questionably as she took the seat across from him. "What are you so smiley about?"

"Oh… nothing," she sighed as she relaxed into the booth cushion. "Young love…"

"Huh?" Riku choked a little on his club soda at the last word to leave Shai's lips. "W-what?"

Shai laughed at his sudden jitteriness, "Let's just say that Sora and Kairi should be getting better acquainted this evening."

Riku wrinkled his brow even deeper, "Okay, now I'm really confused. What the hell are you talking about woman?"

Shai sighed annoyingly, "God you're dense! I locked Kairi out of the room when I left to meet you down here…"

Riku just looked at her blankly.

"…so she would have to go wait with Sora until I got back…"

Riku shrugged his shoulders. "And?"

"And… it's obvious they both have feelings for each other." Shai reasoned. "So I thought I just might give them a little push in the right direction. I'm sick of Kairi being all melodramatic about that Tetsu jackass anyways."

Riku laughed lightly, "I didn't know you played matchmaker."

Shai smiled back at him, causing Riku's legs to feel like jello. He thanked the heavens silently that he was sitting down, or else he feared he might not be able to hold himself up. "Well, now you do," she replied with a wink.

Riku laughed nervously, only because he didn't really know what else to do. "Yeah, I guess I do."

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After what seemed like an eternity, Sora finally turned towards Kairi unsurely, propping himself up on his elbow and resting his chin in his palm. Her closed eyelids and calm demeanor made him wonder briefly if she had fallen asleep, but as she as she felt him stir beside her, she opened her eyes and met his in a warm smile.

"Hey," she simply replied.

"Hey," he answered back, very aware of the butterflies that had suddenly found their way into the pit of his stomach as she met his gaze.

She smiled calmly, her warm violet eyes lighting up, "What are you thinking about, Sora?"

Sora, being Sora, answered without allowing his response to run through his brain first, "You."

"Me?"

"Um… I mean. I was thinking about something I need to tell you." He recovered, narrowly escaping her confused glance as he quickly darted his eyes around the room nervously.

"Ok," she answered unsurely, "What is it you need to talk to me about?"

"It's about…. me… and you." He replied slowly. "It's about…. what happened back in Radiant Garden, and yesterday at the preliminaries."

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**A/N: **I'm in trouble… I know. How dare I leave off there!! lol

Sorry!! I know you still love me though. :)

Shai's quite the little schemer eh? And Sora's got some 'splaining to do… Hm… next chapter should be pretty good, expect dangerous amounts of fluffiness.

Although, I don't know when I'll be able to write the next chapter, considering my birthday is this Sunday, the 22nd, and I work all day Wed and Thur. I'll try to get something written before too long, I've been making you guys wait a lot lately.

REVIEW POR FAVOR!!


	32. It's About Time!

**A/N: **Ahem… Drum roll please….

It is official. I have my laptop back!! Life as you knew it can return to normal and you have my full permission to rejoice in my return!! A few things have happened in my absence from fanfiction… I had a birthday! Woo hoo! (Although my age is no longer my lucky number… so that kinda stinks…), I thought up a plot and for my _next fic _(I know, you're so excited you can hardly contain yourself), AND I went to the circus (I now have an undying desire to purchase an elephant and name it Little Bit)…. : )

OK… this chap is long awaited, I know. But… hopefully it will tie up a lot of loose ends, answer some questions that might be floating around as to why this is all happening to Sora… AND move Sora and Kairi in the right direction!! (Oh… and the italicized centered parts are flashbacks from previous chapters….)

But… I am sure that you really clicked on that link to read the next few pages of pure brilliance that is the next chapter of Saving Me that you all waited so patiently for (some perhaps more patiently than others… lol) So… without further adieu… Read… Enjoy… Review… (The usual!)

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It's About Time!!

It's not easy… Not that he really expected it to be… It's not like anyone ever told him that it would be. But it never is easy. The word "complicated" comes to mind, but that doesn't even begin to describe the situation, and "difficult" only really scratches the surface of the complexity of his circumstances. It's not easy to tell a loved one something that you know will upset them. No… not "upset"… Disappoint. And that's even worse. The last thing Sora wanted to do was disappoint her…

But when he thought about what he wanted to say, the words scrambled in his head and his sentences mixed together so that he sat in awkward silence with a strained look on his face and an air of confusion and timidity around him. The snickering voice chiding in his head only made matters worse, and all at once, it seemed too much for one person to bear. This, of course, if why he knew that he must tell her… because this one particular burden had become too heavy for one person to carry alone any longer. But that fact did not make it any easier…

So there our hero sat, the silence so thick, it was almost suffocating. Kairi's expression attentive and friendly, as always, and as she saw the conflict building up behind those infamous sapphire blue eyes, she smiled in an attempt to put his mind at ease. That was all it took to calm Sora's racing heart and remind him that no matter what happened, her smile would always be there. _She _would always be there…

"Kairi," he returned her smile confidently as he sat up on the bed and made himself comfortable against the cushioned headboard. Kairi followed suit and sat up across from him crossing her legs on top of one another and resting her hands in her lap, her warm violet eyes shining into his as they always did. Sora sighed, and continued… "Kai, I just want you to know that I never meant to keep anything from you. I know it seems like I've been keeping a lot of secrets lately… but I never wanted to hide anything. I always had the intention of telling you, I just wasn't exactly sure when…"

Kairi wrinkled her brow, her eyes loosing their luster ever so slightly as she pondered his words. "Sora, what are you talking about?" 

Sora paused as he returned her gaze and fidgeted with his fingers nervously. "I haven't been completely honest with you."

Kairi's face fell a little and her eyes dulled, "What do you mean?"

Sora averted his gaze to his palms as he talked into his lap, "I mean… I haven't been totally upfront with you about what's been going on. About the darkness… About us…"

He paused, expecting her to say something. But, when she remained silent, he timidly peeked up at her face to find her patiently awaiting his explanation, her face a blank canvas… void of any signs of whatever emotions were currently occupying it. He drew a deep breath and continued on…

"Why don't I just start from the beginning?" he asked, not really expecting a response. Kairi nodded ever so slightly, and he smiled as he nodded in return.

"The thing is, Kai, this is all my fault… All of this… The darkness, the shadow, everything… The reason we're even here is because I refused to admit that there was darkness brewing in my heart."

Kairi's expression quickly changed to that of confusion, "But Sora… you're the Keyblade Wielder of _Light_. What do you mean you had darkness in your heart? That doesn't really make any sense…"

"I know. I thought the same thing. But over the past few weeks, I realized that, with the exception of you, everyone has darkness in their heart. But it's the light that we bear that keeps us from being swallowed by our darkness." He paused as he let his words sink in, "Am I making any sense?"

"So you're saying that everyone has darkness in their heart, and the light in their heart keeps them from giving in to the darkness?" Kairi asked, drawing out her words as she tried to understand his concept.

"Yes."

"So what happened to you? Why was your darkness strong enough to take over?"

"Because…" Sora slowly met her gaze, "I gave up my light."

Kairi opened her mouth to speak, but Sora pressed on before she could say anything. "Kairi… I avoided you all those months after I got home because I didn't want to worry you. I knew that something was happening to me… and I isolated myself from you so that you wouldn't know anything was wrong." He sighed and shook his head, "That was my first mistake…." He muttered, more to himself that anything.

"But Sora, I worry about you because I care about you." Kairi's face softened in empathy.

"I know, but you had spent two years worrying about me while I was gone. The last thing I wanted was for you to worry about my state of mind once I was home." Sora trailed off as he looked out the window at the far side of the room. _Home… _How long had it been since he and Kairi had left Destiny Islands in their gummy ship? Weeks? Months? It was hard to tell… It all suddenly seemed like a blur.

As Sora daydreamed, Kairi's mind was still hard at work trying to understand…. "Sora, what do you mean, you 'gave up your light'?"

Sora blinked as he refocused his thoughts, "Oh… Well, Kairi…You… um," he frowned as he struggled to structure his sentences. "Remember that night, back on Destiny Islands? The night of the storm?"

Kairi shuddered as the images replayed in her mind…

_Another bolt of lightening streaked the sky overhead, as she stared in horror at the black smoky liquid that was pooling at Sora's feet and inching its way up his body in long thin cords. Tears pooled in her eyes and stained her cheeks as she leaned against the cave wall, mustering the strength to speak. "S-S-Sora!" _

"How could I forget?" she whispered as she hugged her arms in an attempt to subdue the chill bumps slowly rising on her skin.

"Well… I think that night was what started all this. That night… my Shadow was 'born'… And I use the word 'born' loosely… because I don't think anything that sinister can actually be 'born'…"

"_Aw… Fuck-up… You really __**do **__like me." _

Sora winced as the Shadow laughed manically in his head. But his uneasiness went unnoticed by Kairi. "You mean… that thing from the Gummy Ship?"

Sora nodded as he remembered his first encounter with his Shadow while on their way to Disney Castle.

_Dismissing the dark Keyblade in a flash of blackness, Sora grabbed the shadowy twin under the chin with his bare hand, pulled it to its feet and cornered it against the wall, the Oathkeeper held across the figure's throat. Hatred burned in Sora's clouded eyes as he glared at the amused yellow eyes staring back at him. "__Do it! The final act of judgment… Let the hatred running through your veins do it. Give in to it… It only makes you stronger… makes __**me**__ stronger!" _

"But why, Sora? _Why_ was your shadow… um, 'born'?"

"Simple. Because I had given up my light… Remember the night at Disney Castle? When…" Sora struggled to get out the next sentence… The knowledge of his attack on Kairi still pained his heart. He sighed and closed his eyes as he opened his mouth to continue, but stopped when he felt a warm sensation on the back of his hand. He opened his eyes to see Kairi's hand lying on his and he looked up to see her nodding understandingly.

"Yes, Sora… I remember that night."

Sora nodded and thanked her with his eyes, "I think my Shadow was able to control me because I had turned away from my light…"

_He smiled wildly as he summoned the Oathkeeper and the dark Keyblade. Already, the power surging from the dark weapon fueled his intent as he surveyed his surroundings. This time, Kairi was not there to stop him. This time, he would not show mercy. "This time, you're mine,"_

"But, Sora…"

Sora interrupted as he continued. "My Shadow went after you because it knew that only you could stop it. I went after you… and I wasn't able to stop it…" he muttered quietly.

Kairi's face softened as she squeezed his hand reassuringly, "But I was…"

Sora smiled meekly as he met her gaze. "Kairi, I made a mistake. One that I know I've already apologized for… I thought the only way to keep you safe from my Shadow… from _me… _was to isolate you. I thought that if I kept my distance from you, I could protect you from the Shadow and at the same time… protect you from me."

Kairi's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she recalled his hurtful words to her that day at the Bailey.

_He slowly met her gaze, trying desperately to hide his heartbreak behind a stony expression. "I. Don't. Love You." __And Kairi's heart shattered…_

Sora noticed her change in demeanor and he turned his hand so that he gripped her small hand in between his own two. "But Kairi… without you… my circumstances only got worse." The Shadow snickered in his head and he rolled his eyes, "A lot worse…" he muttered.

"I had completely given up my light, and that allowed the Shadow to…" he trailed off quietly as he recalled his first interaction with his shadowy reflection.

_He peered down at his reflection in the growing puddle underneath him, and squatted down to get a closer look, the blades of his weapons resting lightly on the ground on either side of him. Long beads of water ran down his cheekbones and dripped from his jaw line. He rested the Oathkeeper against his thigh and slowly brought his finger tips up to his tanned cheek and ran them along his cheek bones, his reflection below him performing the same gesture… only with black claw-like fingers running along black smoky skin. He closed his eyes and ran his hand over his face and though his hair while he tried to calm his racing heart._

When he opened his cerulean eyes again, they were not met with the same ocean blue stare from his reflection. As lightening pierced the cloudy sky above him, the black reflection in the puddle winked one sickly yellow eye at him, "Surprised to see me?"

Kairi perked up when Sora didn't finished his sentence. "To what? What did the Shadow do?"

Sora sighed as he pulled one hand from his grasp on hers and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Kairi, the Shadow is kind of… inside me now." At this, the voice laughed uncontrollably and Sora grit his teeth in frustration. "I can hear it talking in my head…. And I can see it in my reflection."

Kairi's jaw dropped, "What?!" She stared in amazement as she mulled over his words while the pieces slowly fit together… Sora 'talking to himself' all the time… the towel currently draped over the mirror across from his bed… What happened at the Preliminaries… "Is… is that what you said you wanted to tell me? Is that why you've been so upset lately?"

Sora, unable to formulate any words, just nodded slowly, averting his eyes to anything but her face. Because, there, in her face… is where he would find it… disappointment.

"But Sora, why? Why did this happen?" Kairi asked quietly. "And don't say 'because I gave up my light'!" she added sternly.

The next few words came out of Sora's mouth naturally, without him having to pick and choose how he would say them. It was almost as if they had been sitting there on his tongue, waiting to be said… "Because Kai, I turned you away. You're my light… and I gave you up."

Kairi paused, smiling, despite herself, "Me?"

Sora laughed at the dumbfounded look on her face. "Kairi… you've always been my light. And, although I've only recently realized it… I think I've actually known it since my first encounter with darkness."

For once, she was speechless. All she could do was smile dreamily as Sora shifted his position so that he was on his knees in front of her, sitting on his heels and holding both of her hands in his. "Kai, I know now… that I can't do this alone anymore. I need your help. I need _you_…"

"Sora…"

"I should have known it all along… but I was too blind to see that the answer was right in front of me!"

"Sora…"

"But I realize it now Kairi! I know that no matter what happens… you'll always be my light. And I can't stand to think that that would ever be taken away from me again. I know that I can fight this if you're there beside me!! Because you'll alw-"

"Sora!!" Kairi, unable to contain herself anymore as he rambled on excitedly, finally clamped her hand across Sora's mouth. Sora stared wide-eyed at Kairi as she smiled at him uncertainly. She didn't say anything at first, and the silence was numbing as Sora awaited her response to his heartfelt confessional.

"Sora, I… I don't even know what to say," she finally said.

Sora's face fell a little as she removed her hand from his mouth. He searched her face for answers, but when he found none behind her somber expression, he sighed and moved his eyes to the mattress below him. "Kai… I-"

He was interrupted as Kairi threw her arms around his neck and planted her lips against his.

Startled and taken off guard, he fell back into the headboard with the force of her embrace, banging his head against the hard wall behind him. His eyes wide and his arms outstretched on either side of him, so surprised from her impromptu kiss. She laughed as she parted from him and nestled into his chest as they leaned against the headboard. Sora joined in her amusement and smiled goofily, "Wow Kai, I never knew you felt that way!" he teased.

She didn't say anything, not that she really needed to… She just smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist and made a pillow of his chest, her shoulder digging into the crease just under his armpit. Sora sighed happily as he rested his head against hers, relaxing into her embrace while he pulled her closer in his arms. The goofy grin still plastered across his face as his mind raced over what had just happened.

The two stayed in that position for a while until the long day of preliminary fighting made its presence known as their eyelids began to droop. At first they both fought the nagging sleep pulling at their eyelids, but as they got more comfortable in each other arms… the naturalness of their positions invited hard-earned sleep to wash over them. As Kairi finally closed her eyes and lulled into sleep, Sora leaned down carefully and whispered, almost inaudibly "I love you Kai…" before he too succumbed to his dreams.

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**A/N: **Anyone else hear wedding bells?? Lol I told you that this chap would have dangerous amounts of fluff!! But Butterscotch assured me that there is no such thing as too much fluffiness… so you better like it! Lol jk

I'm thinking that this fic will be ending soon… I know… hard to believe, huh? But my gosh!! This _IS _the 31st chapter…. I do need to end soon, and I know how I will do it and I know that you will love it… so no bellyaching! Lol

I shouldn't have to say it… but I will… quietly… (whispers) Review please… : )


	33. Broken Barriers

**A/N: **Sorry, yet again, for the delayed update. I have been busy with work, getting my reading assignments done before classes start the 27th, and of course… playing with my new Nintendo Wii. Oh yeah… I'm cool, I finally got a Wii. lol

But alas, I finally found the time to write the next chap!! My goal is to get this fic finished BEFORE I go back for my LAST semester of nursing school!!! hahahahaha Simply because my schedule will be crazy busy after that with clinicals, lectures, and other things of that nature. Nursing school really is a bitch I'm telling ya….

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Broken Barriers

"_Sora…"_

_Kairi. Her voice… It resonated through the darkness surrounding him as he fell, spiraling down in an unnatural slow motion. He opened his mouth to respond, call out to her… but he found his throat dry and unresponsive against the thin air that encompassed him. _

"_Sora…"_

_Underneath him, a familiar pillar of land… the look of stained glass… the image of himself crouching in the center… half dark… half light… The single glowing yellow eye pierced through the black void, and it seemed to lock in on him as he fell closer and closer to it. _

_All at once, his sneakers connected with the pillar of land as it lit up to illuminate itself, shining underneath him like a beacon. He looked around, trying to peer through the darkness… looking for her…_

"_Sora…"_

_He took a step towards where he thought her voice was originating from as a faint outline of a human-shaped form took shape several feet away. He tried once again to call out to her, assure her that he was there… but his voice was lost to the black oblivion. As he made his way over towards the black outline, his feet seemed to drag behind him, the ground unrelenting as it kept him from her. Each step felt weighed down and it expended all his energy just to walk the few feet to where she was standing…_

_Her crimson hair shown brightly in front of him, her back turned towards him. An inexplicable light seemed to emanate from her entire body, casting her in an angelic glow. He reached out a hand to her, unexplained tears forming behind his sapphire eyes as his heart reached out to her as well. Just before his palm connected with the back of her shoulder, she slowly turned towards him…_

"_Sora… Your light is fading." Her voice was airy and smooth, and it cut through the void and melted his heart. Although his throat was parched and weak, his expression conveyed his confusion as he shook his head and wrinkled his brow. _

"_I can not carry the light for us both much longer… You must defeat your Shadow… Time is running out…"_

_He heaved the thin air in and out of his lungs, trying to muster the breath to respond. "I… I don't... understand…" he managed to say._

"_Darkness prevails in the absence of light…" she answered monotonously. "You must regain your light before all is lost."_

_Tears flowed freely down his cheeks as the glow encapsulating Kairi slowly began to dim, her form fading before his eyes. "Time is running out…" she repeated as she dissipated into the void… _

"_Kairi!" he cried into the oblivion as he collapsed onto his knees, reaching out to the spot where she had been standing just seconds ago. "Kairi!"_

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"Kairi!"

Sora's eyes flew open, a cold sweat dripping across his forehead, hysteria etched into his expression as he tried to slow down his breathing. The room around him was dimly lit by the television that was still on, but he could easily make out the outline of the cheap hotel furniture. As he slowly began to focus his awareness, he breathed a sigh of relief as he felt Kairi's sleeping form still nestled into his chest. A dream… it was only a dream.

He relaxed back into the pillow, careful not to wake the sleeping Princess that he held so close in his arms. He looked down at her, tightening his grip around her ever so slightly, relieved that she was still there and had not disappeared into thin air as she had in his dream.

As he reached up his free hand to wipe the sweat from his brow, he looked over at the blinking clock on the night stand beside him… 12:00, midnight. _Where the hell are Riku and Shai? _

"_Oh Fuck-up, do you really want to know?"_

Just as Sora opened his mouth to quietly tell the Shadow in his head to mind his own damn business, he heard the jingle of a key in the lock at the front door.

Seconds later the door swung open quietly and Riku tiptoed into the room.

"Hey man," Sora said in a hushed voice.

"Holy shit dude!" Riku breathed as he shut the door behind him, "I thought you were asleep. You scared the piss out of me!"

Sora chuckled a little as he carefully unwrapped Kairi's arms from his waist and pulled out of her embrace, she moaned a little and reached for him as he got up from the bed. "Just woke up a second ago…" he answered as he gently laid her back onto the pillow he had been leaning against.

"So…?" Riku crossed his arms across his chest as he eyed Kairi and then Sora. "What happened?"

"What?! N-nothing!" Sora answered quickly. "We just fell asleep, t-that's all!"

Riku rolled his eyes as he uncrossed his arms, "I can see that, Dumbass. Get your mind out of the gutter… I mean, did you tell her?!"

"Oh…" Sora blushed a little as he rubbed at his neck, "Um… yeah. I, uh… I told her everything."

"Good," Riku nodded understandingly. "Well… guess you better get her back over into her own room. We've got a long day again tomorrow."

"Yeah…" Sora's face softened as he returned his attention to his sleeping Princess. "Kai…" he whispered as he tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear, "You awake?"

She moaned tirelessly and stirred a little.

"You always were a heavy sleeper…" he laughed quietly as he wrapped his arms under her still body and lifted her up off the bed. She groaned softly and nuzzled her head in the crook of his neck, "Hey Riku, can you get the door?"

Riku nodded and pulled the door open that connected their room to the girls' room. He knocked lightly on the girls' side of the door before Shai opened it slowly from the other side.

She smiled when she saw Sora holding Kairi asleep in his arms, "Oh! Oops… did I lock Kairi out of our room on accident? Silly me…" she giggled as she gave Riku a knowing smile.

"Yeah," Riku winked and smiled along with her as Sora squeezed past them to lay Kairi down on her bed, "Silly you…"

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"_We must work on putting up a barrier in your heart. So to keep your light in your heart safe from the darkness in your heart…"_

"_A barrier… To keep my light safe…"_

"_A separation of light and darkness… to protect the light still left in your heart from being consumed while you tap into your darkness…"_

No more secrets. No more lies. The walls in Sora's heart had finally fallen and the boarded up feeling that he had been carrying in his chest for over two and half years had finally vanished. And for the first time in a long time, he was truly happy…

As he awaited the start of their first semi-final round, his fingers itched with impatience. The warm feeling in his heart may have clouded his mind and fogged his vision to the point that all he could see was Kairi's smiling face… but his natural reflexes still honed in on his impending battle, so that his entire body was restless with anticipation without him even realizing it. He wasn't even completely aware of the flag that dropped to the dirt signaling the start of the battle until Riku's voice pierced his thoughts right before Tetsu's sword jabbed at his side. Instantly, his reflexes took charge and he back flipped to dodge the attack, narrowly missing the blade of Tetsu's weapon as it lunged forward.

"Sora!!" Riku yelled as Way to Dawn sliced the air at one of Tetsu's teammates, "Get your head out of the fucking clouds dude!!"

Tetsu… The blond menace… The chocolate-eyed scumbag that had tried so desperately to come between Kairi and him… Sora had surprisingly almost forgotten about the jerk, being so caught up in recent events. With Riku's words grounding him back to reality, he snapped out of his thoughtfulness… a dark glare replacing the distant look in his eyes, his jaw set in determination.

His fingers tingled with excitement as he met Tetsu's chocolate glare with vigor, "I'm surprised you didn't 'reschedule' your team again, Tetsu," he smirked as he summoned Oathkeeper in a flash of light. "Finally decide to come back for the rest of your ass-whipping?"

"Don't humor yourself, I'm finishing what I started," Tetsu growled as he twirled his sword in his fingers, the sun reflecting brightly off its silver blade.

Sora snickered and rolled his eyes at his attempt at intimidation, "Whatever you say dude…"

Sora's nonchalant attitude towards Tetsu's threat only caused his brow to furrow deeper and his glare to darken. His knuckles blanched as he tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. Without retaliating verbally, he lunged another attack at Sora.

Sora backpedaled, easily shielding himself with Oathkeeper as Tetsu's strength waned with each hit. "Is that the best you got?!" Sora yelled, an eerie smile spreading across his face.

Tetsu growled in frustration, pausing his attacks only briefly to regain his ground and plant his feet more firmly on the sandy arena floor.

Sora saw his chance and quickly swung the Oathkeeper in a series of unrelenting combos, some colliding with Tetsu, others not. The manic laughter in Sora's head went unnoticed as he finished his last combo and retreated to the other side of the arena as one of Tetsu's teammates had come to his friend's aid.

As Sora battled with the young man that had come to Tetsu's rescue, he faintly heard Kairi's cry as Tetsu's sword pierced the skin just under her right arm. With her scream, Sora's world stopped.

He turned to the source of her cry, his face in a panic as he watched her collapse to the sand, blood pouring between her fingers as she gripped her side in agony. "Kairi!"

Tetsu sword dripped with Kairi's blood in long sticky streams that sifted with the sands below him. He had gone after Kairi… And not only that, but he had hurt her…

For Sora, the next few moments were a blur…

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**A/N: **Okay, so I'm thinking two, maybe three, chapters left… I know… it's super sad.

But! Have no fear… for I have already posted the first chapter of my next exciting fic, "I'll Be Seeing You", staring none other than Sora, Kairi, and Riku!! TADA!! Check it out, it's golden.

AND!! Give Brightshadow 5 some love on his new fic, "Kingdom Hearts: The Angel Experiment"


	34. Revenge and Bloodlust

**A/N: **The long awaited next chapter… I know it took forever. So sue me: )

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**Revenge to Bloodlust**

It all felt like a dream…A blur in a moment in time, the space surrounding him fading into a thin line on the edge of Sora's periphery. As he watched Kairi collapse to the ground in a pool of scarlet he lost all control, his cries blurring into hers harmoniously. Two screams became one as he tore through the shreds of humanity left inside of him, ripping through the veil of reality as Oathkeeper ripped through the foe that he had been battling. Tetsu's friend fell to the arena floor within seconds, almost instantaneously with Kairi.

In no time, Sora had crossed the battle arena, his face etched in intense worry. He kneeled down by her, picking her up in his arms. The bright crimson blood contrasted sharply against her white combat outfit, "Kairi!"

She opened her eyes, Sora's shadowy reflection staring back at him in her violet-blue orbs. "Sora…" her voice was light and airy, her painful wince betraying her innocent façade of a smile as she tried to get up.

"Kairi, you're hurt." Sora started as Shai ran over to his side, sheer panic in her emerald green eyes.

"Kairi! Sora!" she gasped between breaths as she turned to Sora, "We have to get her out of here. She's loosing a lot of blood!"

_This is just a dream. This can't be happening. Kairi's fine… she's okay… I'd never let anything happen to her! I promised I'd keep her safe!! _

"Sora! Snap out of it!" Shai pleaded. "We've got to get Kairi to the medics!! And Riku needs help with Tetsu! I think that guy finally snapped!"

But Shai's pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. Sora's expression remained shocked and in a panic.

"Sora!" Shai tried one last time to wake him from his reverie, but when he still did not respond she reached down to Kairi in a huff, deciding that she would have to carry her redheaded friend out of the arena on her own.

Suddenly, Sora's expression changed to that of determination, a pierced brow and clenched fists replacing his wide eyes and distant apprehension. He grabbed Shai by the elbow, stopping her from picking up Kairi. He didn't say anything as he kneeled down and swooped Kairi's lithe form up into his arms, her blood dripping down his side as he carried her across the arena.

Shai stood watching him with bewilderment before she shook her head of her thoughts and retreated to go help Riku with the last contestant on Tetsu's team…

Before he left her with the medics on the far end of the arena, Sora kneeled down and whispered in Kairi's ear, "I love you Kairi… and I promise that Tetsu will not live to regret the day that he hurt you!" He kissed her forehead softly and laid her down on the stretcher.

As he turned back towards the arena, targeting Tetsu's dirty blond locks and chocolate brown eyes, he felt a small hand grasp the back of his elbow. Startled, he turned back towards Kairi as she slowly opened her eyes and focused on him.

He opened his mouth to respond, when suddenly an eerie glow began to encapsulate Kairi's entire body. Panicked, he looked up at the medics only to find them bustling about, unaware and unaffected by the latest development. He reached out a hand to grab one of them, when suddenly Kairi reached up to stop him.

Confused he looked down at her, perplexed, yet awed, at the same time. He had never seen Kairi look so beautiful… her eyes shown with a new vigor and her hair seemed more fiery than ever as it framed her face perfectly. Then she smiled. And Sora felt a familiar warm feeling in the pit of his stomach that spread throughout his entire body. She looked like an angel.

"Sora… Your Shadow… Time is running out…"

She spoke with an unnatural smoothness and phenomenal depth that he had never seen in her before. The medics continued to do their own thing around him; connecting IV lines and injecting Kairi will all sorts of things. Puzzled, Sora looked to one of them before looking back down at Kairi, "What? I… I don't understand Kairi…"

"Hey!!" one of the medics yelled. "Will someone get that kid out of here! We've got to get this girl to the medical tents!"

Sora glanced up at the medic nearest him right as he felt an arm grab the back of his elbow and usher him back into the battle arena. "Come on kid… you've done all you can now. Leave her to us."

"What? No! Kairi!!" Sora struggled against the older man's grip. "Wait!" But it was no use.

He looked one last time in Kairi's direction as she whispered… "I love you Sora…"

She closed her eyes as the glow surrounding her dimmed and the medics rushed to her side to hurry her into the medical tents.

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It was all a dream, right? Only a few seconds in the mass of time that we call life... But it was those few seconds that mattered most to Sora. In those few precious seconds love became revenge, and revenge turned into bloodlust. Hatred burned throughout the depths of Sora's being with new vengeance, and as the medics wheeled Kairi out of his sight he felt a fire light inside of him.

He could spend all day and night blaming himself for what had happened to Kairi. Hell, he could spend the rest of his life blaming himself, however long that ended up being. But, he had finally heard Kairi say the words that he had wanted to hear from her for as long as he could remember. As those words fueled the fire in his heart, he turned back towards the arena, an inexplicable darkness collecting around him.

Before his heartfelt confession to Kairi only the night before, Sora had barricaded his heart from darkness. Walls that he had put up to protect Kairi also protected his light from consumption with the Shadow's darkness. But with his confession, those walls had fallen, leaving his heart and what light was left in it exposed. Sora's Shadow took full advantage of this. And as revenge began to course through Sora's veins, the Shadow used Sora's heart to amplify its own power...

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All around him it oozed, dripped, and seeped into his skin, staining him in a black darkness that left dark sticky footprints in his wake. Revenge boiled his blood and burned in his eyes as he approached Tetsu, obscuring the landscaped arena around him so that Tetsu was the only image reflecting in his darkening glare.

The crowd that filled the arena stands all gasp in unison at the tall brunette that was slowly being consumed by darkness. Tetsu, however, was impassive to Sora's dark presence as he easily blocked Riku's and Shai's barrage of attacks.

As the Shadow's power coursed through his veins, Sora could feel himself drowning in darkness. But the funny thing was that he didn't care… It filled his lungs with oily blackness that clogged his breaths, but as his body morphed, he lost his need for air. All he needed, and all he wanted, was revenge…

"Back again Dipshit?!" Tetsu shouted as he shoved Riku back down the ground with his foot, "I think your girlfriend here is getting tired!" he mocked.

Sora ignored his taunting, not that he could really hear it through the darkness that was slowly filling his ears. The Shadow's manic laughter was all he could take notice of as he summed the dark Keyblade of Hearts in a pool of black swirling mass. He remained silent as he twirled the blade in his fingers, its raw power feeding his hatred.

When Riku noticed Sora's sudden dark change of appearance, he ran to Shai's side and grabbed her by the wrist, "Come on! We've got to get out of here!"

"What the hell are you talking about Riku?" Shai exclaimed excitedly, still unaware of Sora's return to the arena. "We've got this little punk outnumbered! The fight is ours for sure!"

"Trust me," Riku yelled over his shoulder as he drug Shai out of the arena. "This is not going to be pretty."

As Shai turned to see what it was Riku was so worried about, her jaw dropped at the sight before her. Sora… completely shrouded in darkness from head to toe… His clear blue eyes turning sickly yellow as long smoky tendrils trailed off his body. Shai stared in horror as Sora ripped through the battle arena in a blur, the dark Keyblade of Hearts leading his way, his bright yellow eyes fixated on chocolate brown.

But what Shai didn't realize, is that Sora was buried… The _real _Sora was gone… Unresponsive and silent… A bystander in the depths of his own mind as the Shadow took control of what little light Sora had left in his heart…

Tetsu, still unwilling to give up in a fight, bared his sword and blocked the Keyblade…. …Only to have three long black claws pierce the skin across the bridge of his nose, leaving three thin lines of blood in their path.

Tetsu smirked as he smeared the blood across the back of his hand, "Hey Dipshit. That's going to cost you in the rankings… No drive forms in the tournament battles!!"

Tetsu's threat, however, fell on deaf ears as the Keyblade of Hearts came to life in a series of combos, sickly yellow eyes behind it glaring through the dust that settled around them.

Tetsu did his best to dodge the attacks, blocking as many as he could with his sword. But he was no match, and soon he found himself without his sword and cornered against a wall with the black blade of his opponent's weapon held fast across his throat.

He stared with wide eyes, for the first time fearful of the yellow eyes glaring back at him. But his opponent remained silent and still, keeping his blade in a fixed position across Tetsu's throat.

Suddenly, black cold lips curled into an evil grin and yellow eyes seemed to focus on an unseen target, "Hey Fuck-up! This is just like old times! Only… I remember it a little different. Don't you?"

Tetsu winced at the melodic quality that accompanied his dark opponent's voice… "What the hell are you talking about?" he managed to ask through the lump in throat created by the pressure from the Keyblade of Hearts.

The yellow eyes pierced back at him, as if they had momentarily forgotten that he was there. The glare was enough to send chills down Tetsu's spine. "So the only question now, Fuck-up, is what do we do with Blondie?"

The shadowy opponent smirked distantly as black lips curled once again into an evil grin, "I thought you might say that…"

Tetsu stared with wide brown eyes as the Keyblade of Hearts was lifted to the sky as dark melodic laughter filled the battle arena…

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**A/N: **Gasp! What happened to Sora? And is Kairi going to be okay?? Who can possibly save them now?!?! Okay… tell the truth. Who saw this coming??? Lmao jk

OMG, I can't tell you how hard this chapter was to write. Obviously! I mean… it took me forever because I kept starting over from scratch! Arg! It's maddening I tell you: )

Anyways… so what I really want is some feedback on this one please! Review and let me know how it went!! ALSO! I have only 2 reviews on my new fic "I'll Be Seeing You". Come on people! What's a little feedback between friends huh?? Please give my new story some love! That is all…


	35. The Storm

**A/N: **OK, so obviously I didn't get this story finished before August 27th… Gr… Blast it all! But, I am working feverishly to get you guys some amazing final chapters… I know a lot of you were disappointed with the last chapter, but as I told some of you in my review replies… Just wait. Think of that as the "calm before the storm" so to speak (which actually was the inspiration for the chapter name of this chap!!)… It was really just setting things up for this and the next chapter. I hope you guys enjoy!!!

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**The Storm**

"_So the only question now, Fuck-up, is what do we do with Blondie?"_

The words came from somewhere inside of him, though he couldn't place the exact spot of his mind where they originated. They ricocheted in his head, filling his ears with their melodic foreboding quality. Deep in the depths of his mind they rang, coming from somewhere and nowhere all at once… but where? Not that it really mattered… Because in the great big scheme of things it all came down to this: Sora, lost in a sea of darkness, drowning in the thick blackness surrounding him… And all along, after everything that had happened and everything that he knew was still yet to come, all he could think about was how badly he wished it was _his _Keyblade that was pressing on Tetsu's Adam's apple, threatening to decapitate him with just a flick of the wrist...

So, despite his sufferings and trials, despite the uncertainty and fear for what lie ahead, and despite the fact that his heart had finally collapsed under darkness' pull… Sora answered the question in the only way he could think of…

"He's mine!" he bellowed into the dark oblivion surrounding him, his words resonating around him.

He felt his own lips tug into a slight grin as the voice answered, _"I thought you might say that…"_

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The sun's rays gleamed off the black blade of the Keyblade of Hearts as it remained motionless above the Shadow's head, the light glaring into Tetsu's eyes momentarily. Suddenly, dark clouds began to rapidly materialize that blocked out the sun's rays and an unnatural darkness began to settle all around the Coliseum. The sun buried behind thick black clouds and the arena shrouded in darkness… only one pair of yellow eyes shinning through it. Thunder rumbled from somewhere inside the darkness and an eerie wind swirled the sands of the battle arena in little whirlwinds around the Shadow's feet. Tetsu watched with wide eyes as lightening suddenly struck the end of the Keyblade of Hearts, sending a bolt of electricity coursing down the long black blade and crashing through the Shadow's body in waves of energy.

The arena bystanders that had yet to flee the stands all gasp in unison as the lightening slowly began to morph and change him. Dark violet accents appeared all over his clothing as the blackness that had seeped into his skin slowly began to swirl around his arms and legs in smoky tendrils, revealing human flesh beneath them. Yellow eyes flashed brilliant blue briefly before the irises turn completely black, while the blackness that had been shrouding Sora's face lifted from his skin and ignited into black and violet flames that swirled down his body, dancing threateningly with the smoke already trailing down his limbs. Jet black spikes hung in his equally black eyes as the winds swirling at his feet intensified, carrying his body into the air so that he floated forebodingly several inches from the arena sands.

Tetsu, unable to move from sheer fright, stood motionless… a shudder running down his spine as two black eyes fixated on him in a menacing glare.

Sora grinned menacingly as he gripped the dark Keyblade in his left hand while summoning Oathkeeper in a flash of light in his right hand. He glanced at the Thalassa shell charm hanging from Oathkeeper briefly before gripping the star-shaped talisman, "That will never do…" he hissed as he ripped the charm from the hilt of his weapon and hurled it across the arena. The Oathkeeper charm hit the sands, throwing up a small cloud of dust as it collided with the floor.

Sora closed his eyes as he channeled the flames and smoke that swirled around him into the Kingdom Key that he now held tightly in his right hand. As black and violet flames met with cold steel, the Keyblade lit up and morphed with the fire and smoke, creating an entirely new Keyblade. The blade extended and curved so that it looked like one elongated solidified black and purple flame. The hilt melded with the Sora's hand, making the Keyblade look more like an extension of his own arm rather than a separate weapon. Flames danced along the entire weapon seamlessly with the ones that swirled around his arm. Energy surged from the Keyblade in intense waves that coursed through Sora's entire body, filling him with raw power.

"You're mine!" he growled as he turned his attention back toward the brown eyed blond that was still speechless and unable to move. In a blur of black and violet, Sora raced across the arena to where Tetsu's sword had landed, the blade still coated in Kairi's drying blood. "You're going to need this!" he yelled as he hurled the blade across the battle grounds with such force that Tetsu barely had enough time to recover from his stupor and roll out of the weapon's path before it embedded into the wall behind him.

At least three inches of the weapon buried into the wooden railing that surrounded the battle arena, and it took all Tetsu's strength to pull the blade from it. Sora stood watching with cold black eyes, amused at Tetsu's efforts to retrieve his sword. Once it was finally released, Tetsu took a low fighting stance, swinging his sword nimbly at his side.

"Now, it's over!" Sora yelled as he raced across the arena, the blades of his weapons leaving a trail of dust behind him as they kicked up the sand. He leaped into the air, drawing both Keyblades skillfully out in front of him, leading his attack. He struck Tetsu once across the chest with the Keyblade of Hearts while using his newest weapon to knock the blonde's feet out from under him.

Tetsu landed on his back with a thud, crimson-stained dust settling in the air around him like a cloud. He rolled to one side, narrowly escaping the blade of Sora's weapons as he lashed out at him over and over again. "Is that the best you've got?!" Tetsu screamed as he jumped to his feet, swinging his sword like a madman.

Sora used the Keyblade of Hearts to block each attack with a newfound quickness that he had not realized he possessed. With ease, he continued to block the sword with the dark Keyblade while he used his other weapon against Tetsu, bringing it around in front of him to strike Tetsu where he was most vulnerable as he continued to swing his sword at Sora.

Tetsu ignored the pain shooting through his limbs as he clumsily tried to block Sora's attacks. But Sora was too quick, too strong, and too powerful… Tetsu grimaced as each hit collided with him, ripping flesh from bone. Blood spewed from the open wounds, covering him in a scarlet veil that soaked into the sands below him in sticky streams. As his sword was knocked from his hand, he collapsed into the wooden planks behind him, using the wall as support while he mustered the strength to stand.

Sora grinned as his black and violet blade rendered Tetsu weaponless… his silver sword swirling through the air and finally disappearing into the sands on the opposite side of the arena.

"What the hell is your deal?!" Tetsu screamed, a curtain of crimson obscuring his view of the black glare fixated on him. "Don't tell me that you're still upset about that fucking redhead Kairi… No chick is worth this much trouble! She's not even that cute!!"

Sora stood his ground steadfastly, both weapons crossed out in front of him, but his face softened ever so slightly at the mention of Kairi's name. _Kairi… My Light… _

Suddenly, Sora recalled his first battle with his Shadow on the gummi ship and Kairi's pleas played out in his mind… _"Sora, that's not you!! That's not who you are!! Please!"_

He blinked a few times, trying to clear his head. But that only served to open his eyes to what was in front of him…

Tetsu huddled against the wooden wall, clutching his side as blood soaked through his clothes and beaded down his skin. Weaponless and broken… panting and trying to catch his breath… the bruises still vivid under his blond bangs from their first 'disagreement'…

Sora, wild and blood-thirsty, clutching his weapons with white knuckles as his foe's blood dripped from their blades… Two black Keyblades, dark Keyblades, with raw and untamed power that surged through him and filled him with their energy… Smoke and fire obscuring his skin, protecting his flesh in an armor of darkness… And of course, the Shadow's presence in his heart, sending waves of adrenaline and strength to course through his veins and fill him with darkness…

_What the hell am I doing? _He thought as he slightly lowered his weapons, his eyes softening. _Kairi wouldn't want this… I don't want this… _

"Fuck dude…" Tetsu mumbled to himself, "So not worth it… I should have told that bitch to fuck off…"

Sora seemed too lost in his own thoughts to hear Tetsu's reaction. He took one last glance at Tetsu, confusion and resolve set in his expression. He set his jaw, as if he had made an important decision and slowly brought his weapons down to his side before dismissing them in a cloud of darkness.

""Fuck you man," Tetsu growled, "This is bullshit… consider you and your team eliminated from the tournament!" He glared at Sora before turning and limping towards the arena gates to find medical attention.

Sora watched him limp away, his expression emotionless and silent, before turning and going after Tetsu...

One swing of Sora's black and violet Keyblade, and Tetsu was knocked to the blood-stained ground unconscious, bright red blood oozing from the fresh gash along his temple. Sora glared at Tetsu's still body as medics came rushing out onto the arena. While they started their recover efforts at saving Tetsu's life, Sora smirked as he turned back towards the arena gates. "Now, that was worth being eliminated from the tournament…"

Smoke and fire still swirled around him menacingly as one ray from the sun pierced the black clouds that still fogged the sky above him. The ray settled on the arena sands, and a glimmer of light caught Sora's eyes as he neared the exit.

He looked towards the shimmer and glided over to where it sat in the sands before settling back down on the ground and bending down to pick it up. The Oathkeeper charm felt heavy in his hand, despite the large crack that now ran through the shell that had knocked off one of the points. A profound guilt began to weigh through Sora as he looked on the precious talisman that he had carried so close to his heart for so long.

He stood back up, the sun's ray cascading down on him like a beacon, the smoke and flames contrasting sharply against its bright light. He gripped the Oathkeeper charm tightly as his face pained into a determined expression and a new battle began to ignite inside of him…

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_A fog surrounded her… A haze… A veil of unconsciousness threatening to pull her into its depths, lulling her into an unnatural sleep. But she fought… Fought against the darkness surrounding her and the fog of uncertainty that flowed through her. Sora needed her, that she was sure of… This was not over yet. _

_  
"Kairi?" _

_From somewhere in the haze she heard her name being called by a familiar friendly voice. And she ran towards it with all her might, hoping, wishing that just maybe she could escape the weariness and fatigue that was slowing her down. Her muscles ached with exhaustion and her brain clouded with confusion, but she continued to stumble through the void…_

_Until suddenly, an air of reassurance settled around her and she felt her muscles strengthening. Her pace intensified and her mind cleared until she was running, sprinting towards the voice that was still calling her name. _

_A light… A pale glow shown through the fog and she could barely make out the outline of a pair of familiar aquamarine eyes pleading with her… "Kairi! Please… wake up!" _

_She shrugged the last bit of fatigue that was still clinging to her and crashed through the veil of bleakness… Because Sora needed her and this was not over yet…_

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"Hey! I think she's waking up!"

"What?! Are you sure?... Kairi? Kairi, can you hear me??"

"Hey! You two! Step back… give the patient some room!"

"Kai, it's Riku and Shai. We're right here. We're not leaving you!"

"Kairi, you've got to wake up… Sora's in trouble."

_Sora's in trouble… _As Shai's words sunk into Kairi's head and formulated in her brain, her eyes fluttered open. She clutched the side of her head and groaned as she tried to sit up. "Sora…."

Riku and Shai's expressions immediately conveyed their delight in Kairi's awakening. "Kai!" Riku exclaimed eagerly as he helped her to sit on the side of the gurney, "You're okay! We were worried sick."

Kairi still felt a little foggy and dizzy, and she clutched her head as she tried to get her bearings.

"Are you okay? How do you feel?" Shai asked worriedly.

Kairi ignored Shai's questions and once she felt clear, she looked to her silver-haired friend, determination and worry set in her brow… "Riku… where's Sora?"

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**A/N: **So, hopefully this will satisfy what you all wanted Sora to do to Tetsu. Rip him to shreds, right? Or was it rip him to pieces?? Hm… Well… either way I think he got what he deserved. Coming within an inch of his life and he's _still _a jerk! What a dumbass… lol

Oh, and I hope that Sora's "drive form" satisfied Thisismypennameok… I know you said you liked the form he learned from Merlin better, but I told you I have a plan didn't I? lol


	36. Darkness and Light

**A/N: **I know… you all get a HUGE apology for the insanely delayed update. I AM SORRY!!! School is kicking my ass already and I've been busy studying for my boards… so again, I'm sorry!

**Darkness and Light**

_Darkness and light... One can not exist without the other, nor can one exist in the presence of the other. A delicate balance maintained harmoniously, yet effortlessly, through natural preservatives of equilibrium. But what happens when the scale tips? What happens when the balance is disrupted? Calm enlightenment turns to rage and love to anger. _

_In the depths of Sora's mind, a battle raged, a war between the polar ends of Sora's shattered heart. Light and darkness... Good and evil… The two were synonymous, existing in the same heart at the same time and in the rage of his vengeance, Sora and Shadow had finally become one. But recovering the balance in Sora's heart would not be easy… But just as light is shadowed and swallowed in darkness… so is darkness peeled away with the brilliance of light's radiance and warmth… _

He stood eerily still, the sands swirling softly at his feet. The darkness pooling around his body gleamed forebodingly in the harsh sunlight that bathed him and he shifted uncomfortably in its warmth. Onlookers watched intently as he closed his eyes, breathing in slow steady breaths, the rise and fall of his chest coinciding perfectly with the pulse of the sandy whirlwinds that danced at his feet.

The winds shifted softly as he channeled his energy into listening for that one still voice… That melodic hum that had plagued his thoughts and besieged his dreams…

It was what drove him, fueling his anger and hatred. But in the end, it was also be what saved him… For it was that menacing voice that grounded him back to reality as it rang in his ears…

"_It's time to end this… only one thing stands in the way now…"_

Before he knew what he was doing, Sora was walking towards the arena exit, his body acting without his mind telling it to do so, the Oathkeeper charm still gripped tightly in his hand as he disappeared into the shadows.

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Kairi tried her best to ignore the sharp pain that radiated through her chest as she stumbled towards the arena battle grounds. Riku and Shai's cries of reassurance were lost to the darkness that surrounded her and all she could hear was the beating of her own heart as it thundered in her ribcage. She peered through the foggy veil that still clouded her vision, searching intently for any human outline that might prove to be Sora.

Her spirits fell as she neared the battle grounds and found the sandy arena deserted…

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Her hair… its crimson waves reminded him of blood… Her unusually pale skin contrasting sharply against its scarlet radiance…. The sun's rays gleamed off her red locks brightly as she kneeled in the sand under the lone ray of sunshine in a sea of darkness. Once this was all over, he assured himself that he would never forget the way she looked under that beam of light… with her beautiful blood-red hair.

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As her eyes focused in the sun's warmth, she felt calmed by its presence. But, it was the sharp broken edge of a certain lucky charm that sent a heavy weight to deepen in her chest. It felt cold in the palm of her hand, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she looked upon it.

"_Kairi, you've got to wake up… Sora's in trouble!" _

Kairi shut her eyes tightly, a single tear escaping her long thick lashes. "Sora's in trouble…" she repeated Shai's words from earlier as she closed her fingers around the precious talisman.

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Sora was unsure of the steps that he took as he re-entered the arena… but he took them nonetheless, unquestioning of his intentions as he neared her. He felt calm, relaxed, and unnaturally at ease in the darkness that surrounded him. Perhaps his calmness originated from the fact that soon this would all be over… he was convinced of that as the Shadow in his heart reassured him that only one thing stood in his way of freedom… And soon, that one thing would be gone.

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"Don't cry my Princess… Soon, this will all be over and you can go home."

Sora… Kairi's eyes shot open at the realization as she felt a cool hand grip her shoulder softly. Instantly a natural smile spread its way across her lips as she turned towards the sound of his voice. "Sora!"

But what she saw was enough to intensify the pain in her chest to the point that she couldn't even breathe. Sora stood over her, the smoke and fire trailing down his body shrouding him in a cloud of darkness, his black eyes and hair contrasting harshly against pale white skin. She opened her mouth to scream, but she couldn't even muster the breath… so she sat wide-eyed and silent in his black cold stare.

He smiled eerily as he extended his hand to her. "It is time, Princess…"

She shifted her eyes uncertainly, suddenly wishing very much that she had allowed Riku and Shai to follow her to the arenas. "S-Sora?" Her wide cerulean eyes met with his shallow black and a shudder ran down her spine. "What's going on? What… what happened to you?" she choked past the lump quickly forming in her throat.

A deep darkness settled in his eyes as he answered, "Come with me Kairi… It's time to go home…" He once again extended his hand to her, encouraging her with his eyes.

Kairi drew a deep unsteady breath as she timidly took his hand, unsurely allowing Sora to pull her to her feet. Her fingers itched with anticipation and the knowledge that she would no-doubt need to defend herself with her Keyblade… but the only question was, who would she be defending herself against? The Shadow? Or Sora?

Sora still had a tight grip on Kairi's hand when a cloud of darkness began to pool around his other arm, shaping and morphing into his new Keyblade of Shadows, its black and violet blade igniting and gleaming forebodingly in the sun's light.

"Sora?!" Kairi pulled from his grip, stumbling backwards in the sands. "What are you doing?" she asked numbly as she stared at the smoky black blade.

He slanted his eyes at his weapon, the silence around them deafening. He seemed almost in a trance, his lips curling ever so slightly into a faint grin as he stared at his blade. Kairi's heart thundered in her chest, her breath coming in short steady bursts as small tears pooled in the corners of her eyes.

"Sora?" Her voice, meek and emaciated, barely escaped her lips before he turned his cold eyes back on her.

"It's time, Princess…" he growled, his voice dripping with a dark resonance that reverberated in the space surrounding him. Kairi barely had time to turn and run before he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him, using the Keyblade of Shadows against her side to enforce his determination.

She struggled against his grasp, her weak whimpers burying in the lump in her throat.

As she stood slumped in his strong grasp, she couldn't tell what hurt worse… The Keyblade at her side? The numb ache in her head that still clouded her vision? Or, the deep pain in her chest that seemed to intensify with each rattling beat of her breaking heart? It was then, as she was pondering her predicament that it hit her. There was only one way…

She set her jaw in sudden determination as a bright light escaped her palm and morphed into her Keyblade. With one swift motion, she ran her weapon along the blade of Sora's, hot cinders cascading to the ground as she freed herself from its lethal grip. Sora didn't seem surprised by this, and he gripped his Keyblade with both hands and dropped into a low fighting stance, a menacing gleam playing in his chilling eyes.

"Whatever you are... You are not Sora!" Kairi shouted as she twirled her blade nimbly in her fingers, "And whatever you've come here for, you're shit out of luck! Because today you go back to the Hell you came from!!"

A newfound fire ignited in Kairi's chest, filling the aching beat of her heart with power and hope. Her muscles burned with strength she had never felt before as Sora's blade collided with hers in a shower of sparks and flames. She blocked his attacks with resolve set in her eyes, her colorful Keyblade the only thing between her and a gruesome death.

She sidestepped as his blade came crashing against hers again, a new quickness propelling her forward. He lashed out at her ruthlessly, and she fought back, attacking in a powerful series of combos that left Sora out of breath and bleeding. As she stood with her Keyblade skillfully in front of her awaiting his retaliation, she paused as his eyes briefly flashed sapphire blue before dulling once again to charcoal black.

Sora grabbed at the side of his head, a feral growl forced between clenched teeth, before he set his Keyblade of Shadows back into a fighting stance. He swung his weapon at her, the black and violet blade coming only inches from flesh. Kairi advanced on him, gaining strength and accuracy with each hit and it was all Sora could do to block them.

A well timed spell sent Sora to his knees, clutching his head in between his hands as his mouth curled into an earth shattering scream. Kairi found new hope in the intensity and effect of her spells and she brandished her Keyblade high over her head and conjured her magic for another light spell.

However, this time, it did not have the same effect, and the position of her weapon over her head only left her vulnerable for attack.

"That won't work this time, Princess. For… you see, Light and Darkness have become one. And you're the only thing stands in the way of complete transformation!"

Sora snapped to his feet, the Keyblade of Shadows landing across Kairi's middle with such force that it knocked her backwards the full length of the arena. She collided into the back wall, splintering the boards behind with the momentum of her body.

Kairi crumbled to the sandy floor, a pile of bruises and shattered optimism. She stumbled to her feet, wiping the blood sprouting from her lip as she muttered a quick healing spell and readied herself for another attack. She promised herself silently that no matter what happened, she would not give up…

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Each step he took seemed to put him further and further into the twilight eeriness that had engulfed his heart. He searched, peering through the haze trying to find a path… a way out…

This wasn't what he wanted, and as hard as he tried… he couldn't even remember how he got here. It all happened so quickly, and before he knew what had happened, the darkness in his heart had taken over, completely swallowing what little light was left… casting his consciousness into this twilight haze that he couldn't find his way through. But somewhere through the fog, he knew that he would find her… his light…

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As Kairi braced herself for another attack, Sora's black and violet blade getting closer and closer with each step he took, she prayed silently that it would be over soon… and somehow she would find the strength to save him…

As he neared her, his blade dripping with cold darkness, she suddenly knew what she had to do… The only way to bring Sora back, the only way to save him…

_Say it for me, Say it to me_

_And I'll leave this life behind me_

_Say it if it's worth Saving Me_

As he closed in on her she locked eyes with him, warm wet cerulean pleading with cold unrelenting black. "Sora… Please… Don't ever forget… No matter what happens, I'm always with you… _I love you_"

With those words Kairi fell to her knees as the Keyblade of Shadows delivered its final deadly blow.

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_I love you…_

Love… Stronger than any force, and more powerful than any spell… Love was what split the darkness in Sora's heart, and as the light left Kairi's eyes it found itself born anew in Sora's heart.

Deafening howls peeled at the darkness that surrounded the arena as Sora ripped the dark shell from his body… the Shadow's torrid screams evidence of its demise as the darkness dissipated from the air and seeped into the sands. Light flooded the Coliseum, illuminating the battle arena in a brilliant radiance that banished the darkness and welcomed warmth and glow. As the last bit of darkness from the Keyblade of Shadows soaked into the sands, Sora opened his eyes… the light burning his vision at first sight. But, soon the warmth was welcoming and comforting, and he felt invited into its presence.

But, as his eyes focused and grew accustomed to the brilliance, his face soon froze in terror at the sight of Kairi's bloody and broken body collapsed in the arena sands.

"Kairi!" he yelled as he scrambled over to her side and scooped up her lithe frame in his arms. "Kairi, NO!"

Her body felt cold and stiff in his embrace, and as he pulled her sticky red hair from her face, he screamed in agony at the dull lifeless glaze in her eyes. He clutched her tightly to his chest, rocking her body back and forth as he sobbed uncontrollably into her soft crimson hair. "What have I done!! God, please NO!!"

Time seemed to stand still as he held her lifeless body in his arms, trying every spell and potion that he could think of to bring the life and spirit back to her cold dull eyes. The footsteps of Riku and Shai went unnoticed and their cries of woe feel on deaf ears as he gently rocked back and forth, crying softly into her hair. What would life be without her? What would it be without her smile, her laugh, her touch…? What would it be without her light?

As dusk began to fall on the Coliseum, Sora faintly felt Riku nudge him to his feet before gently taking Kairi out of his arms to carry her out of the arena. The three friends remained silent as they made their way out of the arena… afraid to disturb the silence that they each felt so comfortable in. Because, what can you say when you've lost someone? What words ease the pain?

As Sora walked in his dreamlike state, dry tears plastered to his chapped face, he suddenly felt something hit his foot. He paused, and looked down to see what had struck him.

The broken corner of the Oathkeeper charm lay perfectly still in the sand, the outline of its shattered edge barely visible in the faint sunset. Sora gently kneeled down while he dug in his pocket for the other half of the charm. As he pulled it out, something else came out with it…

The light orb from Disney castle that the King had left to him… It was still wrapped up in its protective cloth packaging, and it felt warm and heavy in the palm of Sora's hand.

"Riku!" a smile suddenly spread its way across Sora's face, but Riku continued walking on, unaware of Sora's calling. "Riku!! Come here!!"

Riku stopped in his tracks, still carrying Kairi and turned around to look at Sora. He exchanged a shrug with Shai before walking back to where Sora was still kneeled in the sand, the two pieces of the Oathkeeper charm in one hand… the wrapped up light orb in the other.

Riku kneeled down in front of him, laying Kairi out gently in the sand between them. "What is it Sora?" he asked numbly.

Sora looked up at Riku, his sapphire eyes gleaming with hope. He didn't say anything, just looked at Kairi's ashen face, and then to the contents of his hands, and then back to Riku. Riku wrinkled his brow, but before he could voice his confusion, Sora leaned down to whisper something in Kairi's ear.

"Remember Kairi, I'm always with you too! I love you…"

With that… a brilliant white light flooded the space around them as Sora ripped the covering from the light orb. The friends shut their eyes tightly against the harsh radiance as the warmth invaded every crevice and corner around them. White hot light blinded their efforts to see through the glare… and all they could do was wait…

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**A/N: **Long chap! It had to be… it _is _the last one:)

Well…. Except for the little ending finale to follow that will somewhat mirror the prologue that I hope to post tomorrow. Hm… so…. Think Kairi will make it???? hehe


	37. Epilogue

**A/N: **Well… I gotta warn ya. This really didn't turn out how I originally intended it to. But I got this idea in my head and I just had to use it…. I know I said I would be posting it tomorrow… but I couldn't wait!! Haha… consider it a gift for making you guys wait so long for that last chapter!!

So… I know I said happy ending….. :)

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Epilogue

The waves were calming, stroking the beach with gentle never ending laps. The salty water meeting warm sandy beach as the sun's rays peeked over the horizon, its brilliant rays painting the sky in infinite hues of orange, red, and purple. The natural transition of night to day… dark to light… The warm salty sea air whipped through her hair lightly, soothing her in a way that only the beach could. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sounds of the gulls squawking overhead and the waves lapping at the shore as the early morning tide rolled in.

How long had it been since she enjoyed a sunrise this beautiful and refreshing? It had been weeks since their return from the Coliseum. She had given up her light to Sora to save his heart, and it was almost more than she could bear. Being a Princess of Heart, it had left her body an empty hollow shell until Sora released the pure light held in that one special orb. With each passing day she gained more strength and with her friends by her side, it hadn't been hard to make a full recovery. She had even made a conscious effort to greet every morning with the sunrise.

She opened her eyes, focusing on the horizon as the sun reflected on the clear blue waves, gaining size with each passing minute, the sky changing in color and drama with it. She smiled as she acknowledged why it seemed that each morning was so special and each sunset more beautiful than the last…

Sora sat directly to her left, his warm calloused hand wrapped tightly around her own and his sapphire eyes glittering brightly in the sunrise. Their bare feet dangled off the side of the dock, skimming the top of the choppy waves beneath them. He smiled warmly as he noticed her watching him, and turned his smile on her, releasing her hand to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her closer to him. She smiled happily and rested her head in the crook of his neck as he rested his head on top of hers.

Riku and Shai sat on the beach a few yards away, enjoying the sunrise from their beach towel. Resting happily in the sand and enjoying each other's company, they waved a friendly wave when they noticed Kairi and Sora staring.

Kairi chuckled softly and waved back before returning her attention back to Sora…

"Hey, Sora?"

Sora didn't tear his eyes from the splendor of the sunrise as he answered, "Hm?"

Kairi pulled her head from his shoulder to eye level and Sora met her eyes, "You think it will always be like this?"

Sora laughed lightly as he returned her smile, "I sure hope so, Kai."

Kairi smiled back and returned her head to its original position, "Me too…" she sighed.

As the beach slowly cascaded with the sun's light, Sora felt warm and happy in its rays. He sighed, breathing in the clean crisp air. Home… He was finally home… And things were finally how he had always imagined them being.

"Hey Kai, I have a surprise for you…"

Kairi perked her head off his shoulder, her eyes wide with childlike excitement, "A surprise?!"

He chuckled at her apprehension, trying to ignore his own butterflies that were racing around wildly in his stomach, "Close your eyes… And no peeking!"

Kairi smiled widely, shutting her eyes tightly and covering them with her hands for emphasis.

She felt Sora's warm fingers wrap around her hands and pull them down, "Here…" A soft wet weight settled in her hands and she squealed as a sticky liquid dripped between her fingers.

"Sora!" she giggled, "What is this?!"

"Open your eyes and see…" he answered calmly, suddenly very excited and not so nervous about his surprise for her.

She eagerly popped her eyes open, and smiled widely at the star-shaped Papou fruit resting in her palms. Tears glistened in her eyes as Sora gently brought her hands to his lips. "I've always wanted to do this…" he whispered before softly biting into the fruit.

She smiled at the juice that dripped from his chin as he wiped it off with the back of his hand. He chewed and swallowed and then guided her hands to her own lips, "Your turn…"

She smiled warmly as she allowed him to guide the sweet fruit into her mouth. She bit into the Papou, filling her mouth with its sweet pungent juices. She giggled as it dripped from her mouth and Sora lightly wiped it from her chin. She smiled as she chewed the soft fruit when she felt something hard hit one of her teeth.

Sora grinned, his eye revealing his anticipation as a puzzled look flashed across her face. Kairi stuck a finger in her mouth before fishing out a small solitary diamond ring. He eyes grew wide and a broad smile spread across her face as she looked at the small diamond ring, "Sora? Is this…?"

"Kairi…" Sora interrupted before she could say anything else, "You know how much I love you… and you know that I would do anything for you…"

Kairi's heart fluttered uncontrollably in her chest, and she found it hard to contain herself as Sora changed his position so that he was kneeled on one knee.

"…After all we've been through these past few years, I have no doubt in my mind that we can do anything together…. And I know that we're really young, and the ceremony doesn't really have to be anytime soon…. But I would be the happiest guy in world if…"

"YES!" Kairi, unable to control herself any longer, threw her arms around Sora's neck her lips colliding with his in an eager kiss.

Sora grinned as she parted from him, keeping his forehead on hers and staring deep into her eyes, he whispered, "Kairi… will you marry me?"

"Yes," she repeated softly, "Over and over again…"

He smiled inwardly while he and Kairi stood up and made their way back across the dock to meet up with Riku and Shai. The light around them seemed to glow a little bit brighter as dawn shifted to day and the sun settled itself comfortably in the tropical sky.

_THE END_

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**A/N: **Well guys and gals. It was a fun ride, nearly 5 months later I can't believe I finally finished it… and all the reviews were totally awesome! I can't tell you how impossible this fic would have been without all your input. My readers rock and I luv you guys!

So…. What did you think of the ending?? Too cheesy? Too mushy?? Or maybe just right??? Sora proposing with a Papou fruit… it just don't get any cuter than that folks:)

Send me some final reviews, I'd love to hear how you liked (or disliked) the ending.

Also… much preemptive thanks to **Spongebobfan1661** for her add for this fic on her YouTube site, which I'm sure will be totally awesome. As soon as she gets it up and going, I'll put the link on my homepage so you guys can check it out if ya want!

AND! Don't forget about my new fic, "I'll Be Seeing You". Now that Saving Me is FINALLY finished, I hope to get another chapter out soon.

THANKS!!!!


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